Briefing Note No. 3 Cuban League against AIDS

Briefing Note No. 3 Cuban League against AIDS / Wendy Iriepa and Ignacio
Estrada
Translator: Unstated, Wendy Iriepa and Ignacio Estrada

During the month of June and the first days of of July The Cuban League
Against AIDS has monitored the rise of protests in Cuban jails for
inmates with HIV / AIDS.

The protests show the dissatisfaction by the Cuban prison population
affected by this disease. The affected prison population at the time of
writing this note exceeds the number of 700 inmates in six prisons
scattered to carry out their sentences.

For those unfamiliar with the Cuban issue of Prisons for Inmates with
HIV / AIDS, we recall that in the mid 90's there was only a prison on
the island for this purpose located in the city of Santa Clara.
Subsequently the Department of Corrections was forced to increase that
due to the steady increase of the disease in the Cuban prison
population, and so opened new prisons, to date a total of six.

Recent protests have taken place in prisons in Santiago de Cuba,
Holguin, Santa Clara and San Jose in the former province of Havana. The
incidents reported in many cases by the people themselves, which
reflects the uneasiness of those who in spite of what they live through
await an improvement in these prison by the Cuban regime.

Hunger strikes, self-harm, attempted escapes, prison disorder, failure
to return from passes, negativity toward wearing the uniform, are some
of the actions carried out by those seeking to end the existing deficit
in these prisons of drugs, food, and the constant violations of human
rights, to put an end to cruel inhuman and degrading treatment of the
doubly confined in punishment cells, and the very little required to
make these prisoners the objects of constant beatings by their jailers.

Accordingly the Cuban League Against AIDS has been able to show,
recently, that such incidents have increased in the Prison of San Jose
where a prisoner was unexpectedly submerged unclothed in an elevated
tank of water. Carrying a sign asking for food, medicines, and demanding
the release of prisoners with HIV / AIDS. The name of the prisoner who
performed this act of disobedience in unknown, but we are aware that
remained protesting all day until the evening after having been made to
drink a bottle of soda with sedative tablets caused him to fell asleep
on the heights of which was lowered with military aid and a crane.

The most recent incident was staged in the same prison by a dozen
females, who rejected all kinds of food for more than three consecutive
days, demanding to spend an hour in the sun with their husbands or
fiancés adding to this demand the necessary improvements in the prison
system.

The Cuban penal population affected by this disease most commonly is
serving sentences for common causes such as theft, burglary, theft and
slaughter of cattle, being in a state of dangerousness, and for the
alleged crime of spreading an epidemic which in many cases is unproven.

For over 75% of the Cuban prison population with HIV / AIDS the main
route of infection is self-administered injections. This mode of
transmission is not recognized by government agencies trying to hide one
of the realities which has been known for years.

The Cuban League Against AIDS organization monitors the island and calls
for respect for human rights applied to the carriers of this disease. It
sends a warning call to all international organizations to demand that
Havana:

- Improve the prison system for inmates sick with HIV / AIDS.

- Immediately release those prisoners with terminal illness.

- Suspend of the use of solitary confinement in punishment cells.

- Medical Improvements and Maintenance.

- A thorough investigation to clarify the use of self-injection as a
means of infection.

The Cuban League Against AIDS from this note is beginning a new campaign
for the Cuban prison population with HIV / AIDS which will end on
December 1st of this year as part of commemoration of World Day of
Solidarity with Persons with HIV / AIDS.

The campaign will be taken to each province for the sole purpose of not
stopping the right to health at the doors of Cuban jails.

Accompanying this note is the original poster of this campaign.

Ignacio Estrada Cepero

July 9 2012