Barcelona-based blogger Joan Antoni Guerrero from “Punt de Vista” has reported about the repressive situation against the hunger strikers in Cuba, where it seems that this Tuesday, 7th of May, State police has attacked some strikers and activists. My translation of Guerrero’s report:
Various reports of activists in the last couple of minutes on various social Networks denounce that the political police has raided the Hospital of Santiago de Cuba, where there are a number of dissidents from the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) on hunger strike. According to some sources there has been violence and beatings. It also seems that the phone lines of various dissidents have been blocked. Meanwhile, detained activist Luis Enrique Lozada was taken to intensive care, according to “Diario de Cuba”. The UNPACU hunger strikers started the hunger strike to demand his liberation.
The cited article from ‘Diario de Cuba’ contains an interview with Jose Daniel Ferrer Garcia, leader of UNPACU, mentioning that Lozada’s wife, Darmis Aguedo, “was able to see him and said he was very deteriorated physically, but said he would keep his posture until he is freed or until he dies, because he is not going to serve a sentence for a crime he did not commit”.
Blogger and activist Frank Abel Garcia (in Cuba) also tweeted about the situation:
TRANSLATION: “They have informed me that the political police beat the activists which were outside the hospital”.
Former political prisoner of conscience Pedro Arguelles Moran wrote on his Twitter (@PedroArguellesM):
TRANSLATION: “Luis Enrique Lozada transfered on Saturday to Provincial Hospital of Santiago. 39 activists protested and beat by State Security. Health of strikers worsening”.
More than 60 hunger strikers have put their lives on the line to demand the release of Luis Enrique Lozada, including his 17-year old son Enrique Lozada, one of the strikers in worst conditions. Lozada (father) has been detained unjustly since April 9th.
More information as the news develops…
Pedazos de la Isla 