Activist and political prisoner Ángel Cuza Alfonso raised alarms this Tuesday about the deplorable food conditions faced by inmates at the Combinado del Este penitentiary in Havana.
Through the social media platform X, the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights shared a recording in which the inmate highlights the poor conditions of the facility, where he coexists with elderly individuals who lack basic care.
"The food is terrible, mostly rotten, the most inhumane thing one could eat in a prison," declared Cuza, who also pointed out the death of two elderly inmates due to medical negligence in the facility.
This is not the first time the contributor to the digital media outlet CubaNet has spoken out about the poor treatment in the prison. Last April, he confessed to his wife, Dianelis Romero, that "everything is awful, there's tremendous hunger. The only thing I ask her to bring is a lot of food; there's so much hunger and very poor nutrition."
Sentenced to a year and a half in prison for "public disorder," Cuza lamented, "There are no medications, nothing. If there's nothing on the streets, imagine inside the prison, even less," he told Martí Noticias at the time.
International Outcry and Arbitrary Detention
In January of this year, several international human rights organizations and independent media outlets signed a letter calling for Cuza's release and condemning the injustices of his detention.
"The event for which he was convicted dates back to Thursday, December 1, 2022, when he was detained along with Lázaro Rolando Kessel Barrueto and Yasser Rivero Bonni while attempting to buy food in a store in Centro Habana. The situation faced by the activist highlights the arbitrariness of the detention and the legal process against him."
Currently, Cuza is among more than 1,000 political prisoners recorded in Cuba, according to data from the NGO Prisoners Defenders, which in November 2023 published a study on its website revealing the existence of 28 minors serving sentences.
Less than a month ago, Yoanky Báez Albornoz, sentenced to 14 years in prison for his participation in the July 11, 2021, protests, was beaten by officers at the Combinado del Este, according to one of his fellow inmates.
In an audio recording posted on Facebook by human rights activist Ángel Moya Acosta, inmate Ángel Castro Cabrera recounted that around 7:20 AM on May 14, Báez was assaulted by uniformed officers identified as Bryan and Jancarlos at the facility in Havana.
The prisoner, who belongs to Company 1301, described Báez's situation and labeled the members of the Ministry of the Interior as "abusers and torturers," one of the repressive organs of the Castroist dictatorship.
In response, Daimy Albornoz Rodríguez, Báez's mother, explained to Martí Noticias that the attack occurred on the day her son's company was scheduled to go out to the yard for sunlight, and that one of the jailers might even face trial in a Military Tribunal.
Key Issues Surrounding Cuban Political Prisoners
For a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding political prisoners in Cuba, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
What are the main complaints of political prisoners in Cuba?
Political prisoners in Cuba often report poor food quality, lack of medical care, and inhumane living conditions. They also frequently experience abuse and neglect from prison authorities.
How many political prisoners are currently detained in Cuba?
According to the NGO Prisoners Defenders, there are over 1,000 political prisoners currently detained in Cuba, including 28 minors.
Why was Ángel Cuza Alfonso detained?
Ángel Cuza Alfonso was detained for the alleged crime of "public disorder" while attempting to purchase food in a store in Centro Habana. His detention has been widely criticized as arbitrary.