International civil organizations denounced this Wednesday in Mexico the death of at least 100 prisoners in Cuba in “inhumane conditions”, in addition to torture methods against protesters who participated in the historic protests of July 11, 2021.
“Cuban prisons are characterized by overcrowding. We have documented the spread of diseases such as scabies, and the pandemic has exacerbated the problem. At least 100 people died in prison in inhumane conditions,” said researcher José Gallego, from the Cubalex association.
Under the auspices of Article 19, the organizations presented in Mexico City the report “Torture is committed in Cuba” with the recommendations of the United Nations Committee Against Torture, which reviewed the situation on the island last month.
The association Prisoners Defenders, based in Spain, documented between 1,500 and 2,000 defendants, in addition to more than 1,000 who remain in pending criminal cases, for participating in the historic demonstrations of July last year against the government of President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
“On July 11, the world saw the true nature of the Cuban regime. People took to the streets not knowing that it could mean 10 to 30 years in prison,” said Javier Larrondo, president of Prisoners Defenders.
The report reveals what happened after the protests – the strongest in Cuba since the so-called “Maleconazo”, in August 1994 -, which took place as the island faced an economic and health crisis with a pandemic at its worst and food shortages, medicines and basic products.
Cubalex identified 14 methods of torture against detainees, including acts of repudiation, physical violence and threats during arrests, pepper spray, hands behind the back with tight handcuffs, exposure to high temperatures in vehicles and abandonment in unpopulated areas.
Exposure to cold during interrogations, threats, poor cell conditions and offenses due to skin color, physical appearance and sexual orientation were also recorded.
Finally, it found cases of forced nudity, denial of access to sanitary pads, denial of medical care, and beatings in detention centers.
“The report presented by this Committee denounces cases of human rights violations in contexts of protest. It also denounces the lack of independence of prosecutors and the increase in the criminalization of dissidents”, said Olga Guzman Vergara, Latin America adviser at the World Organization against Torture.
The associations asked the Cuban government to adopt the UN Committee’s recommendations, such as the creation of an autonomous national institution to defend human rights and guarantee the independence of prosecutors.
“In this report, we see how the Cuban State has not failed to activate the institutional machinery to silence the voices that seek to inform society.
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