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Political prisoners commemorate May 20th in the Kilo 8 Prison and are brutally repressed
By Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta

 

Statement from Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta received from prison by Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello in Havana and recorded and transcribed by the Cuban Democratic Directorate.

 

I am Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta, an independent journalist, sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment.

 

I would like to make known to the world that this past March 20th the political prisoners and prisoners of conscience decided to commemorate the date of March 20th, the 105th anniversary of the creation of the Republic of Cuba. We began with a speech addressed to the inmate population. Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, from the Christian Liberation Movement, spoke first outlining the importance of the date and how the government has tried to erase the milestone which the date represents. I then spoke from my cell block. Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia spoke from his cell number 5, and I spoke from my cell number 3. I made a call for non cooperation, to not suppress one another, and to not collaborate with the Castro regime. It was at this point that people started chanting pro-democratic slogans, such as “Down with the terror of imprisonment, down with terrorism, down with imprisonment.” Additionally, they asked for the respect of human rights, adequate medical attention, and a series of demands that were not appreciated by the Political Police and the prison authorities.

 

It was at this point that certain actions took place. They stood in front of my cell block but did not come inside. On may 21, they conducted a meticulous requisition on Jose Daniel Ferrer Acosta, prisoner of conscience, and confiscated personal letters, writings, and even a mediocre book called “The Dissidents,” it was truly a ferocious repression.

 

On the 21st, pamphlets against the regime, against all of the violations that are committed here, of all of the cruelty that goes on here, were all spread throughout the prison. When they decided to empty Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia’s cell, he opted to walk himself to the punishment cell. State Security gave orders to harass and beat prisoners. In addition to State Security, the main director of the prison, Filiberto Martínez Luis, and the Chief Re-education Officer Eider Rodríguez Columbié, as well as Romni Alvarez Alcolea, Chief of Internal Order, participated in the attacks.

 

In order to commemorate May 20th, in remembrance of such a sacred date and also remembering the 22nd anniversary of the creation of Radio Marti, which we would like to extend our regards, both from Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia and myself for the great labor that the radio station is doing. Among those who participated in the activity were Leoncio Rodríguez Ponce, Nelson Vázquez Lima, Carlos Luis Díaz Fernández, Lamberto Hernández Planas, Eduardo Gamboa Suárez, Germán Bermúdez Carmona, Ramón Corrales Echarte, and Francisco Turnidor Valido.

 

I would like to add that this, May 21st, is when the repression began, where people were beaten, and authorities went to take people out of their cellblocks and empty them out, beating them savagely. Among those in poor conditions is Francisco Turnidor Valido, a common prisoner, who at the hands of several officials, among them the Chief of Internal Order, Romni Alvarez Alcolea,beat him mercilessly. At this moment, he is at the medical ward of the prison where he is in very poor conditions. He has dislocated his septum and has injuries throughout his body, due to the kicking and other forces exerted on him.

 

At this time, Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia finds himself in a punishment cell without any resources, without water, surrounded by plagues of mosquitoes, cockroaches, and rodents of all types. All of this repression was witnessed by the Chief Re-education Officer Eider Rodríguez Columbié, who saw how prisoners were dragged. Among those who were dragged was political prisoner Eduardo Gamboa Suárez who was taken to cell block number 2 and began to scream anti-governmental slogans. More than 15 officials were responsible for his attack.

 

Another inmate that endured abuse from the authorities in the prison was Raidel Carmenate Madruga, better known as “Jorobita,” a good friend of Antunez and one who only has three months remaining of his sentence. Alter being handcuffed and beaten brutally, they took him to a punishment cell. At this time, he is found in solitary confinement. Over 15 authorities were responsible for the orchestration of the operation, including Eider Rodriguez Columbié, Alvin Noa, 2nd Chief of Re-education Officer and one known as Peña. He was told that “He would be treated as he deserved.” 

 

Alejandro Jordán Escalona González, Edelio, known as “Lasy,” and Jose Romero Cusac, known as the re-educator, were among some who also participated. They punched him and he has cuts on his hands, being that he was dragged as he was handcuffed. He also has other injuries, cuts on his wrists, and all the while, the prisoner screamed slogans like “Down with Fidel.” Even from within his cell he presently is still shouting “Down with Fidel,” “Down with the Terrorist-tyranny…Long live human rights…Long live democracy and freedom.”

 

Gamboa currently finds himself on hunger strike. The inmates are all protesting in general, hitting on their cell doors and screaming “Abuse! Down with the terror!” There is great tension and it is all due to the orders of the State Security and the Warden of the Prison Filiberto Martínez Luis. This can be considered as complete terrorism by the new Chief of Internal Order, Romni Alvarez Alcolea and there are orders to beat and literally destroy everything.

 

Our lives are truly in danger, and I call on the European Union, Amnesty International, The European Parliament, and all the organizations that defend human rights in the World to take part in this issue. What is happening here is truly inadmissible. This prisoner has been beaten savagely while the military officials remain with total impunity because no measures are taken against them.

 

The only thing we did was commemorate May 20th and José Daniel Ferrer García made a beautiful introduction, later I spoke and gave a message of non-cooperation, to not cooperate with a regime that brings about agony as I told them about mothers that deserve the opportunity to see their children. We ask for amnesty for all political prisoners because the prisons have truly become pits of terror and prisoners are losing their lives condemned to excessive sentences for the slightest offenses. I call on the international community to take part in this situation that has become so tense. Our lives are in danger. I know that any moment I could be beaten for one of these protests which we will continue to carry out.

 

Unfortunately, this is a specific call to the Spanish government, which is defending the terrorist system of Fidel Castro, so that they see that in no way are human rights respected in Cuba, that prisoners are not protected, and that there is no organization or institution to protect them here in Cuba. The cruelty shown by the military officials is indescribable. I am only given 10 minutes to speak and this is very quick, so I apologize if there are things I cannot express to you, but I would like for people in the democratic world to take note of what is happening in this pit of terrorism that is Kilo 8.

 

 

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