Prisoners rebel in demand for better treatment
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

February 1st, 2007 – In a sequence of protests, inmates at the Ariza Prison rebelled, asking for more humane treatment in the facilities.

According to political prisoner Ricardo Pupo Sierra, the incidents began on January 25th, when the prisoners saw that the nurse who delivers medicines came around empty handed. The protests began to escalate until they spread to all the cells. They broke a wall in the bathroom and another wall that encloses the State Security offices, and began to throw rocks, hitting several guards.

Pupo Sierra reached the Cuban democratic Directorate via telephone and narrated the events that he witnessed. He explained that anti-rebellion forces and fire fighters intervened to control the situation, releasing gases into the hallways to force prisoners to enter their cells.

“The current situation is critical. There are no needles to inject people,” said the human rights activist. “There are no medicines. Only if a family member brings medicine from outside will a prisoner get medications. There are people here who suffer from high blood pressure and are not receiving adequate treatment. The doctor only comes by once a month. But, he did visit the prisoners after the protest.”

A similar incident took place on February 1st, confirmed Pupo Sierra, when the prisoners protested, demanding to be taken outside to receive sunlight.

Prison guards immediately intervened and beat some of the prisoners, but in a few moments, they conceded to their demands, and allowed the prisoners to go to the exterior recreation area.

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Directorio Democrático Cubano
P.O. Box 110235
Hialeah, Florida 33011
Tel. 305-220-2713
info@directorio.org

In Memory of Mario Manuel de la Peña