Another young Cuban prisoner, Abraham Carmenates Hervás, who was just 25 years old, died early Thursday morning in the maximum-security prison of Boniato in Santiago de Cuba, after suffering an epileptic seizure. His family claims that he did not receive the medical attention he needed.
Carmenates suffered from diagnosed epilepsy and experienced recurrent seizures, which led to him being transferred several times to the Provincial Hospital. However, the prison authorities returned him to the jail despite his delicate condition.
The family had repeatedly requested extrapenal freedom, but the medical commission determined that he was "fit" to remain in prison, reported independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta on his Facebook page.
“They left him thrown aside like a dog,” according to the testimony of a close acquaintance.
He stated that after the last attack, he was administered medication and left on the floor of the prison, without supervision or medical assistance, until he was found dead.
Close sources indicate that the incident occurred in the early hours of August 8. So far, no official report has been released regarding the cause of death.
Abraham leaves behind a one-and-a-half-month-old son whom he could not legally register before his death.
This other case of a prisoner's death while in state custody again exposes the structural failures of the Cuban penitentiary system, where sick prisoners do not receive basic care and are subjected to conditions that family members and activists describe as inhumane.
Human rights organizations warn that such deaths are the result of a pattern of negligence and institutional neglect in the country's prisons.
Between January and June alone, around 24 people died in the custody of the Cuban state, according to a report published by the Initiative for Research and Advocacy, a human rights organization based in Mexico City, formerly known as Justicia 11J.
That entity indicates that of the total, at least eight deaths occurred as a direct result of the deliberate denial of medical care, one of the forms of mistreatment frequently reported in the island's prisons.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Situation in Cuba's Prisons
What happened to Abraham Carmenates Hervás in the Boniato prison?
Abraham Carmenates Hervás, a 25-year-old Cuban prisoner, passed away in the Boniato maximum-security prison in Santiago de Cuba, after suffering an epileptic seizure. His family members claim that he did not receive the medical attention he needed, despite his recurrent seizures and being diagnosed with epilepsy.
What is the situation of human rights in Cuban prisons?
Cuban prisons, such as Boniato, face serious allegations of overcrowding, malnutrition, lack of medical attention, and inhumane conditions. Several human rights organizations have warned of a pattern of neglect and abandonment that has led to preventable deaths in state custody.
What have human rights organizations reported about deaths in Cuban prisons?
Organizations like Cubalex have reported that deaths in Cuban prisons are not isolated incidents, but rather part of a systematic pattern of negligence. These deaths reflect serious institutional failures within the prison system, where inmates do not receive basic care, and an independent investigation and urgent measures are called for to protect the human rights of prisoners.
How does the lack of medical attention affect inmates in Cuba?
The lack of adequate medical care is a serious issue in Cuban prisons, leading to deaths from treatable diseases, such as tuberculosis and epilepsy. Medical negligence is considered a form of torture and a clear violation of the state's obligations to ensure the life and integrity of detainees.
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