Police violence in Cuba: More than 90 fatalities between 2018 and 2023

Thepolice violence in Cuba has claimed at least 95 lives and affected 287 people in the last five years, according to a study carried out by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights andThe touch.

This investigation presents an alarming x-ray of the excesses committed by law enforcement forces against the population, in a context where citizen complaints are vilified by the official press.

Data collection reveals a worrying trend ofphysical violence exercised by government authorities. Cases range from sexual abuse, arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial executions to denial of medical care and excessive use of force.

The study highlights links between the acts ofpolice violence and political discrimination: 274 of the 382 people registered as victims suffered because of their ideals, especially in the prison system and during public protests.

A notable case is that ofAiser Roque Rivero, 17 years old, who died under suspicious circumstances, in police custody in Placetas, Villa Clara.

The authorities stated that it was a suicide. However, his father alleges murder, in light of the systematic harassment his son faced since his arrest in the July 11, 2021 protests.

Of the recorded fatalities, 76 were in state custody at the time of their death. Official justifications range from medical conditions to suicide. The explanations are questionable and in many cases indicative of deeper negligence or violence that the official figures do not reveal.

In addition to those who died in police custody, other reported deaths include citizens such asZinedine Zidane Batista Alvarez, a teenager killed by police during a street fight.

Non-lethal violence has been documented primarily duringprotests on July 11 and 12, 2021, where excessive use of force against protesters was evident, as well as during other public events in opposition to the regime.

The attacks go beyond physical abuse; They also include violent arrests, sexual abuse and other psychological practices carried out against political opponents.

In an emblematic case, the rapper and activistMaykel "Osorbo" Castillo He was repeatedly detained without legal justification until he was sentenced to nine years in prison.

The Cuban authorities are trying to discredit thevictims of police violence and exonerate the perpetrators, especially when media attention makes it difficult to deny the fact.

The study ensures that there is a pattern of impunity in the country. Cases in which law enforcement officials face legal repercussions for their actions are rare and often hidden from public scrutiny.

The data show a system in which responsibility for state violence is dispersed and disappears in the shadows of a government that does not tolerate dissent.

The reality of the numbers probably underestimates the seriousness of the situation, given the lack of transparency of the State, and the fear that is instilled in the victims' families so that they do not report the cases.