The Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH) reported this Monday the death of a political prisoner imprisoned for demonstrations against the government on July 11, 2021supposedly after The prison authorities would not give him the medical attention he needed.
about Luis Barrios DÃaz, 37 years old, and, as explained by OCDH in a press release, died on Sunday afternoon at the hospital La Covadonga, Havana.
Since last August, Barrios Diaz has been suffering from respiratory problems. The Observatory explained that, because of health problems, he was admitted to the infirmary of prison 1580 in San Miguel del Padrón and then transferred to the hospital. “The doctors of La Covadonga hospital informed the prison authorities that it was necessary admission to the hospital due to the ill health of prisoner but they decided to return him to prison, claiming that They do not have the fuel to guarantee permanent surveillance of political prisoners decision that led to his worsening health condition and death,” the press release detailed.
🚨URGENTE:
Fallece tras negligencia de las autoridades penitenciarias el prisionero del 11J Luis Barrios DÃaz
El OCDH recuerda que, según las Reglas Mandela de la ONU, la prestación de servicios médicos adecuados a los reclusos es una responsabilidad del Estado.Madrid, 20 de… pic.twitter.com/HhDg8qcMtz
— Observatorio Cubano de Derechos Humanos (@observacuba) November 20, 2023
Finally, after his health condition worsened, The political prisoner underwent emergency surgery on Saturday, according to the testimony of another prisoner, Endris Arias Meralla, to the OCDH. Barrios DÃaz died while he was in the unit intensive care for “respiratory complications.”
The prisoner is serving a sentence of nine years in prison for the crimes of public disorder and assault, after being arrested after the largest wave of protests against the Government of Cuba, known as 11J.
OCDH estimates that in prisons Cuba have more than 1,000 political prisoners and remembers that, under the UN Mandela Rules, the provision of adequate medical services to prisoners is the responsibility of the State.
The Observatory also explained that the prison authorities, “in an attempt to take responsibility for your negligence”, processed an extra-penal license for him political prisoner “with unprecedented speed.”
Luis Barrios Diaz, He is a resident of Pasaje Raúl number 38, between Hatuey and Lindero, distribution Párraga, Arroyo Naranjo, Havana.
Also reiterated by OCDH’s demand for the immediate release of all prisoners for political reasons and conscience, and remembered that, although it is a matter of political will regime has at least eight legal means to release or release all at once.
He also warned that many political prisoners “have a deteriorated state of health”, as in the case of Félix Navarro and José Daniel Ferrer. “We insist on requesting a statement from democratic governments and the European Union about it,” the statement concluded.
