Negligence of Cuban Prison Authorities Results in Tragic Death of Political Prisoner

On Sunday, the Cuban political prisoner Luis Barrios Diaz passed away at the La Covadonga hospital in Havana due to neglect by the prison authorities. This was reported by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH), an NGO located in Madrid. According to the organization, Barrios Díaz, who was 37 years old, began experiencing respiratory issues in August and was admitted to the infirmary of prison 1580 in San Miguel del Padrón, Havana. Despite doctors advising him to remain hospitalized for specialized care, the prison authorities decided to return him to prison due to a lack of fuel for constant surveillance. His health deteriorated and he died after undergoing emergency surgery for respiratory complications on Saturday.

Barrios Díaz had been previously sentenced to nine years in prison for participating in the historic protests of July 11, 2021. The OCDH called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and pointed out the deteriorating health of other political prisoners such as Félix Navarro and José Daniel Ferrer. The organization also requested that democratic governments and the European Union make a statement regarding the serious situation of political prisoners in Cuba, emphasizing the responsibility of the state to provide adequate medical services to prisoners.