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PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE DEMANDS FREEDOM
By Prensa Independiente ICDPRESS

Political prisoner José Gabriel Ramón Castillo (Pepín) before his unjust imprisonment on March 18, 2003. (Cuban Democratic Directorate)

Santiago de Cuba, August 29, 2007 (ICDPRESS). In spite of his critical state of health, José G. Ramón Castillo (Pepín) was transferred eight days ago from the Boniato prison hospital to a regular prison cell.

Since then, Pepín, a dependent of insulin, is forbidding anyone to inject him. This prisoner of conscience demands immediate freedom, or at least the right to remain in the care center for prisoners at this place.

His wife, Blanca Echavarría, source of this information, informed that the hygienic and sanitary conditions at the cells of the Boniato Prison are extremely precarious.

“They have unbalanced his sugar levels once again due to the inadequate nutrition he is given, which is not designed for a person who suffers from diabetes. On July 4^th he went into a coma for two days and almost loses his life after he is given the wrong dosage of insulin administered by that hospital. Now they just throw him into that filthy cell,” expressed Echavarría.

As a result of 4 years of imprisonment, affirms his wife, Pepín has presented various ailments such as: cirrhosis of the liver, arterial hypertension, venous insufficiency, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, diabetes, and hair loss.

The National Prison and Cell Management has prolonged his application for parole for nearly two years. This solicitation was made by his medical team at this prison hospital due to his critical health.

Such parole, given already to other 16 prisoners of conscience, could mean the release of this independent journalist and mechanical theory professor of Santiago de Cuba.

ICDPRESS, News and Information Bureau of the Culture and Democracy Independent Institute.

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