Activist arrested, beaten and threatened for demonstrating against government actions

On 24th February, around 9:00 am, activists from the Cuban Reflection Movement (MCR), including Anairis Miranda Leyva, demonstrated for the release of José Daniel Ferrer García, Roilán Zárraga Ferrer, Fernando González Vaillant and José Pupo Chaveco in one of the boulevards of Holguín. Two days later, on 26th February, 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. In the afternoon of that same day, the activist and her sister carried out another civic demand in front of the provincial headquarters of Optica and Pharmacy, located at 84 Miró Street between Frexes and Martí Streets in that city, demanding the elimination of the two-handed robbery among employees and managers, among others, of the intimate sanitary pads at the pharmacy on Libertad Street at the corner of Cables, where her family is assigned. 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 being held at the police training centre for criminal proceedings. In addition, both she and her sister had their water service suspended for 48 hours, were not given sheets to protect them from the cold temperatures, had their access to the mattress suspended for the first 12 hours and were not allowed to sleep with the incessant death threats and beatings, both of which extended to the rest of their family. She and the other activists remained on hunger strike the whole time. Upon arrival at the provincial headquarters of Optica and Pharmacy, the activists were verbally abused by the chiefs Amarilis Ricardo Santiago, Rafael Antonio Escobar Concepción and Idania (a senior official). Later, the rapid response groups arrived and offered to beat them to death. Patrol car 483 also showed up with officer Evelio of the State Security Department (DSE), and the lieutenant colonel and provincial head of the political police, known as Alejandro, who led a troop of police and snitches, who brutally beat Anairis and her sister. They threw them to the ground, kicked and punched them and tried to hang them and smash their heads on the pavement. The officer with badge 21816 grabbed Anairis by the hair with one hand and with the other hand squeezed her genitals very hard, causing her to bleed profusely. Later, this same officer extinguished a cigarette in one of the victim's hands, causing a burn. The activist and her sister were handcuffed in the back and thrown furiously at the patrol car. In the 1st United (El Anillo) they were again slapped, spat on, offended and threatened with death. On Coliseum Street they were beaten again and sprayed in the face. Lieutenant Ordoñez beat them several times and shouted "churrosas, miserables" and other insults. The head of the Operational Guard, named Jardines, accused the women who were arrested for common crimes of having their heads blown off, and said that they would get benefits in their respective criminal trials.