20th day of hunger strike for Cuban political prisoners

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20th day of hunger strike for Cuban political prisoners
By Cuban Democratic Directorate

Santiago de Cuba, May 17th- Luis Enrique Ferrer García, Alexis Rodríguez Fernández and Agustín Cervantes Garcia, members of the Christian Liberation Movement and political prisoners, are on a hunger strike which they began on April 28th in the Mar Verde Prison in Santiago de Cuba.

According to family members of the prisoners, the strike was motivated by the terrible hygienic-sanitary conditions under which they are held, the lack of medical attention, and the violation of their most basic human rights.

Ana Belkis Ferrer García, sister of Luis Enrique, affirmed from Santiago de Cuba: “My brother is on this hunger strike after going for 3 months and 17 days without eating any food from the prison due to authority’s policy that prisoners eat from trays that are full of grease and crust from previous food remains, especially after a prisoner died of rat poisoning. During this time, the three political prisoners were protesting and demanding that prison authorities address the situation, and the response was increased repression, humiliations, and abuses.”

According to the source, on May 3rd, Ferrer García was transferred to the hospital of the Boniato Prison in Santiago de Cuba because he was vomiting phlegm and blood. In the hospital they shaved him and cut his hair forcefully because he was very weak, and they put him on an I.V.

“We stayed very worried because Luis Enrique told out mother that he decided to carry out this hunger strike either until he is freed or until he dies. He said he prefers to die with honor than to live without it.”

Alexis Rodríguez Fernández and Agustín Cervantes Garcia were also transferred to solitary confinement cells a few days after beginning the hunger strike.

On the same day of April 28th, a group of family and friends of the political prisoners began a chain of fasts in Palmarito de Cauto, Santiago de Cuba and Puerto Padre. “The chain of fasts will be carried out daily for duration of 10 hours, and will not cease until the demands are met by Fidel Castro’s regime”, informed Milca Maria Peña Martínez, wife of Luis Enrique Ferrer, from Santiago de Cuba.

The family members ask for the support and solidarity of the international community, human rights organizations, and people of good will.

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