Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HAVANA331
2008-04-18 20:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:
CUBA HUMAN RIGHTS ROUND-UP APR. 1- 23
how-toVZCZCXYZ0004 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHUB #0331 1092028 ZNY CCCCC ZZH (CCY AD834F9B MSI1880-695) O 182028Z APR 08 FM USINT HAVANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3158 INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS IMMEDIATE RUCOGCA/NAVSTA GUANTANAMO BAY CU IMMEDIATE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000331
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY DELETING SECSTATE AS INFO ADDEE
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBA HUMAN RIGHTS ROUND-UP APR. 1- 23
REF: HAVANA 207
Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly: For reasons 1.4 b/d
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000331
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY DELETING SECSTATE AS INFO ADDEE
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBA HUMAN RIGHTS ROUND-UP APR. 1- 23
REF: HAVANA 207
Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly: For reasons 1.4 b/d
1. (SBU) POLITICAL PRISONER ATTACKED IN HOSPITAL BED:
According to the wife of political prisoner Normando
Hernandez Gonzalez, on April 14 Hernandez was attacked in his
hospital bed by a fellow prisoner. Hernandez, an independent
journalist, was imprisoned during a massive crackdown in
2003. He suffers from a number of serious medical problems.
For the past seven months he has been a patient at the Carlos
J. Finlay military hospital. According to his wife, a
prisoner convicted of killing a police officer attempted to
strangle Hernandez in his hospital bed. His spouse said that
another prisoner attempted unsuccessfully to force the
attacker off Hernandez but that none of the four guards who
were present intervened until Hernandez was losing
consciousness. His wife said that Hernandez after the attack
had gouge marks on his neck and left shoulder.
2. (C) DISSIDENT DETAINED BEFORE UNITY MEETING: On April 8,
police took Jose Diaz Silva, pro-democracy activist, into
custody. Diaz was one of the 18 dissidents invited to a
meeting on April 10 hosted by Martha Beatriz Roque (MBR) for
the purpose of arriving at a statement of unity. MBR
reported that authorities have rescinded Diaz's provisional
early release from prison and that he will have to serve out
the remainder of the sentence.
3. (C) POLICE STOP INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST AFTER LEAVING
USINT: On April 8 independent journalist Ernesto Corria
Cabrera left USINT after printing copies of a bulletin "The
Free Camagueyan". Police stopped and detained him. Under a
decree that visitors to Havana must ask permission to stay
more than 24 hours, authorities expelled Corria back to his
hometown in Camaguey. Police in Havana frequently use this
decree to expel independent journalists and activists whose
identity cards show a address outside of Havana.
4. (SBU) POLITICAL PRISONER BEATEN IN PRISON: Political
prisoner Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta reported that on March 28
a guard in the provincial prison of Holguin brutally beat
fellow political prisoner, Orlando Zapata Tamayo, causing
injuries to the head and body. Zapata has been on a hunger
strike since March 22. Acosta has in the past accused
authorities of inciting other prisoners to beat Zapata.
PARMLY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY DELETING SECSTATE AS INFO ADDEE
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBA HUMAN RIGHTS ROUND-UP APR. 1- 23
REF: HAVANA 207
Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly: For reasons 1.4 b/d
1. (SBU) POLITICAL PRISONER ATTACKED IN HOSPITAL BED:
According to the wife of political prisoner Normando
Hernandez Gonzalez, on April 14 Hernandez was attacked in his
hospital bed by a fellow prisoner. Hernandez, an independent
journalist, was imprisoned during a massive crackdown in
2003. He suffers from a number of serious medical problems.
For the past seven months he has been a patient at the Carlos
J. Finlay military hospital. According to his wife, a
prisoner convicted of killing a police officer attempted to
strangle Hernandez in his hospital bed. His spouse said that
another prisoner attempted unsuccessfully to force the
attacker off Hernandez but that none of the four guards who
were present intervened until Hernandez was losing
consciousness. His wife said that Hernandez after the attack
had gouge marks on his neck and left shoulder.
2. (C) DISSIDENT DETAINED BEFORE UNITY MEETING: On April 8,
police took Jose Diaz Silva, pro-democracy activist, into
custody. Diaz was one of the 18 dissidents invited to a
meeting on April 10 hosted by Martha Beatriz Roque (MBR) for
the purpose of arriving at a statement of unity. MBR
reported that authorities have rescinded Diaz's provisional
early release from prison and that he will have to serve out
the remainder of the sentence.
3. (C) POLICE STOP INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST AFTER LEAVING
USINT: On April 8 independent journalist Ernesto Corria
Cabrera left USINT after printing copies of a bulletin "The
Free Camagueyan". Police stopped and detained him. Under a
decree that visitors to Havana must ask permission to stay
more than 24 hours, authorities expelled Corria back to his
hometown in Camaguey. Police in Havana frequently use this
decree to expel independent journalists and activists whose
identity cards show a address outside of Havana.
4. (SBU) POLITICAL PRISONER BEATEN IN PRISON: Political
prisoner Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta reported that on March 28
a guard in the provincial prison of Holguin brutally beat
fellow political prisoner, Orlando Zapata Tamayo, causing
injuries to the head and body. Zapata has been on a hunger
strike since March 22. Acosta has in the past accused
authorities of inciting other prisoners to beat Zapata.
PARMLY