A Cuban who had gone out to spend the day with his family at Guanabo beach in Havana reported that he was brutally beaten inside a unit of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR), where, according to his account, he was held for several hours before being released without any charges.
The complaint was shared on Facebook by Alexis Torriente, a friend of the victim, who shared photos of the injuries and recounted what happened.
According to his post, Ernesto Morejón Montañez, a resident of the Mulgoba neighborhood in Boyeros municipality, traveled last Wednesday, July 15, with his wife and son to enjoy a day at the beach in Guanabo.
Torriente explained that Morejón had consumed "a few too many beers" when, around 11:00 in the morning, a PNR officer approached him near the police station in Guanabo and asked him to accompany him inside the unit.
According to the report, once inside, he was subdued and beaten by six police officers with batons, even though, as his friend claims, he had committed no crime.
"Six police officers fell on him, hitting him with batons everywhere until he found himself handcuffed, hands and feet intertwined, lying on the floor, and he had to beg the jailer not to hit him anymore because he felt they were going to kill him," Torriente wrote.
The images released show bruises on the torso, arms, and legs, as well as marks on the wrists and ankles consistent with prolonged use of handcuffs. According to the account, he also suffered blows to the head that left visible swelling several days after the incident.
Torriente stated that Morejón remained handcuffed on the ground for over four hours, and during that time, no officer requested his identification or informed him of the reason for his detention.
According to this version, he was released around five in the afternoon without any explanation or facing charges. Upon leaving the facility, his friend recounted, he could only tell the agents: "I've wasted five hours of beach time with my son."
The complainant stated that the family decided not to file a formal complaint because they believed they would not achieve justice. "We know all too well that there is no JUSTICE in this country... it is held hostage by the damn communists," he wrote.
Witnesses provide a different partial account
Among the comments on the post, there were individuals who claimed to have witnessed part of the incident and provided a different account of what happened prior to the arrest.
Reinier Crespo Tejo, who identified himself as a resident of Guanabo, stated that Morejón "was drunk and troublesome," and that employees of a nearby café called the police. However, he noted that he is unaware of what happened inside the police unit.
In similar terms, Gabriela Algibay Martínez stated that the man "was excessively drunk, displaying very aggressive behavior." Neither of them commented on the alleged use of force within the police station.
So far, the Cuban authorities have not publicly commented on the complaint.
A new case in a context of reports of police violence
The case occurs a few weeks after Guanabo residents staged protests to demand water, food, and electricity, demonstrations that ended with a significant police presence and several arrests.
Human rights organizations continue to denounce the excessive use of force by Cuban authorities. Prisoners Defenders reported nearly 2,000 repressive actions during the first half of 2026, including 257 arbitrary detentions.
For its part, Cubalex has documented at least 14 methods of torture and cruel treatment allegedly employed by PNR agents, including beatings with batons against detained and handcuffed individuals, a practice that has been frequently reported since the protests of July 11, 2021.
The Cuban Observatory of Human Rights has also recorded dozens of reports of police violence in recent years, while various international organizations continue to warn about the deterioration of fundamental rights on the island.
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