CUBA: POLITICAL PRISONERS

Idelfonso Batista Cruz

Case #: 2/1994 Espionage and Armed robbery
Sentence: 20 years
Prison: Boniato
Address: Edificio 4, Bloque 1, Apto. 9, Reparto Rajayoga, Santiago de Cuba, CP 90100

Review: Batista Cruz was a member of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces for 12 years and at one point in his military career was second in command in charge of operations at the Oriente Naval Base.

Batista Cruz became appalled with the systematic and arbitrary manner the Cuban government deprives its citizens of their civil rights.

Batista Cruz has continued his civil disobedience during his confinement at the Boniato prison. He has refused to attend roll call, to wear the uniform worn by the common prisoners and to visit with his family. Lieutenant Luis Enrique Sánchez López has threatened to ‘physically vanish’ Batista Cruz, who was transferred to the Mar Verde prison for his continued attitude of defiance.

Upon his arrival at the Mar Verde prison, Batista Cruz was placed in solitary confinement for 24 days. The threats against his life have continued at Mar Verde by the prison warden Liuetenat Colonel Manuel García Sarmiento and the State Security official assigned to the prison Colonel Juan Carlos Tabares.

Proyecto Rostros del Presidio will always strive to make known the names of the responsible prison officials who  abuse and deprive Cuban political prisoners of their rights; -we only wish we had their photographs!

Review authored by ‘Proyecto Rostros del Presidio’ using diverse sources.

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