On 20th May, 2018, a Cuban citizen goes to a cafeteria near his home at the intersection of 100 and 51 streets in Marianao to get something to eat. As he was near his house he went out without identification, a policeman arrests him for being in an area prone to male prostitution. He explains the officer that he only went to eat something and that he could go to look for his identification as he lived nearby. However he is physically and psychologically abused. He was taken in a patrol car to a station from the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) and he is locked up in the dungeon. As he was weak from not having eaten anything, he asked to be taken to the doctor because of the dizziness he had. The officer refused and, referring to his sexual orientation, said that all homosexuals should die. As the detainee's health deteriorated, he was taken to the hospital where he was treated and given first aid. There, the PNR officials, referring to his race, said that if he died he was one less black man in Cuba. The citizen was released when his family found out about the arrest and go to the PNR station to take his identification and prove that he was not prostituting himself. The citizen filed a complaint at the military prosecutor's office about the mistreatment he received. The prosecutor’s office asked the PNR officers involved to explain the situation. According to the victim, the agents were punished with soft disciplinary measures so the prestige of the PNR will not be affected. After the sanctions, when the officers involved meet with this citizen, they blame him for the sanction they received and threaten him with retaliation in any form when he least expects it. As a result, the victim has not been able to have a normal social life because he does not know what they can do to him because of his sexual orientation and his race.
Rights Abused
- Civil and Political Rights
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Personal freedom
Personal security and integrity
Equality before the law
Right not to be discriminated for reasons of age, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion
Right to freedom of movement and transit
Right not to be arbitrarily detained
- Perpetrator
- Police
CIGK/26