The Prisoners

The Prisoners / Reinaldo Escobar
Posted on April 7, 2014

Not a week goes by that we don't receive a phone call from some Cuban
prison to denounce physical abuses, denial of visits, lack of medical
care and other outrages. The vast majority are common prisoners, men and
women, many of whom say they have been politicized in prison. The
majority consider themselves totally innocent of the charges that sent
them to prison, others accept their responsibility for the imputed
events but feel they've received a disproportionate sentence.

It's almost impossible to verify these complaints and this desire for
objectivity from which we suffer keeps us from talking about every case.
Our greatest treasure is the credibility we've achieved among our
readers, but every call provokes a dilemma that makes us see ourselves
as egotists or cowards, after listening to a Cuban behind bars spell his
name–so we will get it right–and state the name and rank of the boss of
his prison, the person who denies him medications, suspends his visits,
or sends him to the punishment cell.

However serious the crime committed, no citizen should be helpless
against the abuses of power. Whose duty is it to protect their rights?

7 April 2014

Source: The Prisoners / Reinaldo Escobar | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/the-prisoners-reinaldo-escobar/