The human rights organization Cubalex documented 12 deaths related to the custody of the Cuban regime during September 2026, the highest monthly figure since February of that year.
Of that total, eight deaths occurred in correctional facilities, two were individuals released from prison in critical condition who died shortly after their release, and two were recruits aged 18 who lost their lives while fulfilling Mandatory Military Service.
The organization also identified three cases indicating possible extrajudicial execution, a category that requires, according to Cubalex, "an independent, impartial, and effective investigation" to determine whether there was direct responsibility from agents or authorities of the regime.
The organization warns that even those numbers represent an underreporting. The lack of official statistics, restrictions on access to public information, and families' fear of reprisals hinder understanding the true extent of the problem.
"Investigations into deaths in custody are, in practice, nonexistent or lack independence and impartiality," the text states and warns that this situation perpetuates impunity and leaves families without answers.
Two 18-year-old recruits dead in Granma and Holguín
Yandiel Jurado, 18 years old and originally from Manzanillo, died on September 20 after being shot inside a military unit in Granma. According to testimonies collected by Cubalex, the young man was on the phone with his girlfriend when another recruit was handling a rifle, and an accidental discharge occurred, striking him.
His mother had repeatedly opposed his enlistment in the Military Service and had received fines for it, until the young man was finally sent to serve.
The second case is that of Leordanis Ramón Ricardo Batista, known as "Leo," also 18 years old, who died on September 22 in a unit of the Youth Labor Army in the Nipe area, Holguín. He had been enlisted for less than two months.
His family had submitted documentation regarding his mental health history—he had been receiving psychological care since the age of nine for nervous issues—but the regime authorities deemed him fit.
The testimonies point to Major Bandera, the head of the unit, for refusing to facilitate the transfer of the young man to a unit closer to his home in Banes and for subjecting him to verbal mistreatment and repeated pressures.
Cubalex demanded an independent investigation to determine the circumstances of both deaths and the possible responsibilities of the military leaders.
These deaths fit into a broader pattern: a report on Mandatory Military Service documented 89 deaths of recruits between 2017 and 2026, with a jump from 15 deaths during the period from 2017 to 2021 to 70 between 2022 and 2025. Of 46 families consulted, none stated that the circumstances surrounding their relative's death had been clarified.
Deaths in prison and lack of independent investigations
The 10 prison deaths in September add to the 39 documented in the first half of 2026 and to a pattern that the organization has been tracking for years.
In its special report on the period 2024-2026, Cubalex recorded 115 deaths in correctional facilities, averaging four deaths per month with no month free of cases. At least 80 of those deaths—around 70%—were attributed to negligence or denial of medical care.
The regime does not publish statistics on prison mortality, does not allow independent inspections, and has not ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.
Cuba closed August 2026 with 1,339 political prisoners, the highest number since the protests of July 11, 2021, according to Prisoners Defenders.
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