UNPACU activist Hamell Santiago Maz Hernández was detained on June 3rd, 2016 and accused of a false crime of contempt. He was waiting for the hearing against him in the Combinado del Este prison in Havana, where he protested against his arbitrary incarceration by starting a hunger strike. On February 24th, 2017 he died in prison. According to authorities, it was because of a heart attack. This is the second UNPACU activist to die in prison. The leader of UNPACU, José Daniel Ferrer, revealed that UNPACU will be investigating the true reasons for the death as for years the organization has denounced the subhuman conditions, beatings, tortures, and other cruel and degrading treatments that affect a persons dignity, health, and even take the lives of the political prisoners.
Rights Abused
- Civil and Political Rights
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Right to life
Right to effective legal remedy
Personal security and integrity
Right not to be arbitrarily detained
Right of detainees and prisoners to be taken promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial functions
- Perpetrator
- Others
- Links
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Diario de Cuba: Cuban political prisoner dies for "lack of medical care and poor prison conditions" - in Spanish
Breitbart: Dissident Dies Mysteriously After 8 Months in Jail on ‘Disrespect’ Charge - in English
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