Alert about the situation of a political prisoner on hunger strike: "Medical attention is being denied, despite their critical condition."

The human rights organization Cubalex reported that the Cuban political prisoner Alexander Díaz Rodríguez, a protester from 11J, was transferred on Saturday, July 5, to the Kilo 5 and a Half prison in Pinar del Río, where he remains on a hunger strike and without access to medical treatment, despite his serious health condition.

According to Cubalex, Lieutenant Colonel Luis, head of the medical unit of the prison, "refuses to provide him with essential medications due to his health condition, nor does he authorize a medical diet," despite the fact that Alexander presents a "case of severe malnutrition."

"Alexander's life is in danger," the organization warned, considering his case part of a deliberate policy by the Cuban regime of "extreme punishment against those who raise their voices from prison to expose the regime's abuses."

In May of last year, the mother of the political prisoner, Moraima Rodríguez Batista, publicly reported that her son had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer since October 2022 and requested his immediate release on humanitarian grounds. On that occasion, she recounted that she had been physically assaulted while trying to deliver documents to request a temporary medical leave. “All I want is for my son to be able to live. He has cancer and is getting worse,” she expressed tearfully.

Alexander has been transferred multiple times between hospitals and prisons, enduring long periods of isolation. In April, he was admitted to Abel Santamaría Hospital after coughing up blood, but days later he was sent to a forced labor camp in Cabo de San Antonio, at the western tip of the country.

The situation of Alexander occurs just days after the death of political prisoner Yan Carlos González González, who passed away this Monday, July 7, after more than 40 days on a hunger strike. His case, also reported by Cubalex, once again highlights the medical neglect and systematic repression faced by political prisoners in Cuba.

Cubalex has warned that “the Cuban state does not guarantee adequate medical care nor investigates the causes behind the claims of these individuals, perpetuating indifference and impunity.” Additionally, it points out that release from prison in Cuba is usually granted only “when health is severely deteriorated, as a strategy to evade responsibility for deaths in custody.”

So far this year, at least 23 people have died in Cuban prisons, according to data compiled by the organization. Many of these deaths are linked to denial of medical care, institutional violence, and total lack of protection.

The family of Alexander, organizations such as the Center for a Free Cuba, and human rights defenders both on and off the island, have called for his immediate release, as well as urgent intervention from international bodies to stop the repression against Cuban political prisoners.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Situation of Political Prisoners in Cuba