Activist arrested, beaten and threatened for demonstrating against government actions

On 24th February, at about 9:00 am, activists from the Cuban Reflection Movement (MCR), including Fidel Batista Leyva, demonstrated for the release of José Daniel Ferrer García, Roilán Zárraga Ferrer, Fernando González Vaillant and José Pupo Chaveco in one of Holguín's boulevards. Two days later, on February 26th, in the morning, they repeated another action of the same characteristics and demands in front of their house, with the purpose of advancing to the court, but they were prevented from doing so by the siege of repressors. The three activists were arrested that same day. The arrest was accompanied by a brutal beating, harassment and other police brutalities. They remained in detention for about 72 hours. The victim was held in the 1st Unit of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) known as El Anillo. In addition, the activist had his water service suspended for 24 hours, was not given sheets to protect himself from the cold temperatures, had his access to his mattress suspended for the first 12 hours and was not allowed to sleep with the incessant death threats and beatings, both of which were extended to the rest of his family. He and the other activists remained on hunger strike the whole time. Upon arriving at the 1st Unit of the PNR, the activist was beaten mainly in the chest, by a police captain and an instructor who covered his badge. In addition, he was morally and politically offended, threatened and challenged by several police officers, Officer Evelio of the State Security Department (DSE), a major who does not know his name, and the lieutenant colonel and provincial head of the DSE, known as, Alejandro.