CUBA/ INCARCERATED
PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE,
DR. OSCAR E. BISCET, CONTINUES IN ISOLATION CELL
June 2003
"I am innocent of the charges which condemned me; reason why I will continue my
present stance... a real man does not betray his ideals... I merely appeal to
the living God. Pray to our Lord for He is not impartial nor does He abandon his
servants. I am in good health, though lonely."
Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet
In a letter of June 1, 2003 (full text of the letter below), Elsa Morejón
Hernandez, wife of Dr. Oscar E. Biscet, publicly appealed to the world from
Havana, Cuba on behalf of her husband, serving a 25 year prison sentence at the
Provincial Prison in Pinar del Rio called "Kilo Cinco y Medio." Below are
excerpts of the letter, depicting the present critical situation of this
prisoner of conscience, as revealed by his wife:
- Dr. Biscet is in solitary confinement since April 23, 2000 for refusing to
wear the common prisoner's uniform and all his rights are suspended. His family
hasn't seen him since then.
- Since April 23 he has been wearing a pair of shorts and bath slippers.
- He is imprisoned in a cell 3' by 6' with insufficient light and ventilation,
no running water, a hole for the toilet and unsanitary conditions
- He is prohibited from receiving visits or having contacts with the outside
world.
- He has no access to fresh air or sunlight.
- He is sleeping on the floor.
- He cannot keep any personal belongings such as books, including his Bible.
- He cannot have access to any writing material or receive any mail.
"My husband is a peaceful, God loving, nonviolent human being and not an
animal... the prison measures against him violate the international human rights
treaties against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Punishments of
which Cuba is signatory. They violate his physical integrity and...lead to
negative consequences such as serious illnesses. Regardless of the status,
prisoners have rights in accordance with Article 31 of prison rules that state:
"Corporal punishment, imprisonment in a dark cell, as well as any cruel,
inhumane or humiliating punishment is strictly prohibited as disciplinary
actions."
"My husband's health was good before he went to prison in 1999, but now he is
suffering from high blood pressure and gum disease."
"...His crimes are: honoring the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, opposing
the death penalty and abortion, and organizing pro democracy movements to demand
his fellow countrymen's human rights through nonviolent civil disobedience. This
man does not deserve to die in a dungeon. This man and his family have lost
everything except God for the noble cause of human rights. He deserves a just
treatment. He is not a danger to society and deserves to be free with his family
and his people. I KNOW THAT MY HUSBAND'S LIFE IS IN DANGER AND WELCOME THE
URGENT INTERCESSION OF ALL MEN AND WOMEN OF GOOD WILL IN THE WORLD, INCLUDING
CUBAN AUTHORITIES."
Elsa Morejon Hernandez
Dr. Biscet, afro-Cuban and 41 years old, has been arbitrarily detained 26 times
in the past and has endured systematic psychological and physical abuses from
Cuban authorities since 1998. For his peaceful pro democracy struggle, Dr.
Biscet served a three year sentence in a maximum security prison in Holguin
province, 768 kilometers away from his home. He was released October 31,2003
only to be arrested again on December 6 of the same year when he was about to
hold a meeting with fellow activists on ways to promote human rights. On April
7, 2003, Dr. Biscet was tried and sentenced to 25 years for serving as a
mercenary to a foreign state and transferred to the Provincial Prison in Pinar
del Rio "Kilo Cinco y Medio" on April 22, 2003.
Elsa Morejon Hernandez
Address: Acosta 464 entre 8va y 9na,
Lawton, Municipio 10 de Octubre,
La Habana, Cuba.
Tel: +537 991774
-------------------------------------------------------
Testimony provided via telephone from Cuba. Full text of the letter is
available in English and Spanish.
Coalition of Cuban-American Women/ LAIDA CARRO
Email: Joseito76@aol.com
------------------------------------------------------
Havana, Cuba. June 1, 2003
I am Elsa Morejón Hernández, wife of Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet, president of the
Lawton Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba and prisoner of conscience. The
purpose of this letter is to denounce to the world the critical situation of my
husband.
Dr. Biscet is kept in a punishment cell in solitary confinement since April 23,
2003 in a prison located at km. 5.5 on highway Luis Lazo in Pinar del Rio
province. The prison cell is 3 ft. by 6 ft., with insufficient light and
ventilation, no shower or running water and a hole for the toilet. He bathes
using water from a bucket and must sleep on the floor for there is no bed. He is
prohibited from keeping any books, including his Bible, nor any other personal
belongings such as: food, vitamins and non prescription medications. He cannot
keep paper, pen or any writing material since he is forbidden from sending or
receiving mail, even with his family. He has no access to fresh air or sunlight.
The only items allowed in the cell are: a bed sheet, a towel, toothpaste, dental
floss, soap, and deodorant. His civilian clothes, together with his shoes and
underwear, were confiscated on April 23rd and given to me in accordance with
prison rules. Since April 23rd he only wears a pair of shorts and bath slippers.
It has been over a month since Dr. Biscet's family has been unable to see him or
allowed to speak with him over the phone. All scheduled official family prison
visits have been suspended: May 2 (to deliver personal toiletries), May 13
(regular visit), and May 18 (conjugal visit) as well as delivery of any food
items. During all three visits we met with the following prison administrators:
the prison director, the warden directly in charge of his case, and the
political representative, among other officers of the State Security Department
of the province of Pinar del Rio. Among the allegations presented by these
officials were:
- Dr. Biscet was placed in a punishment cell for refusing to wear the prison
uniform.
- In this cell all his prison rights are suspended.
- If we provide him with his civilian clothes he will never wear the prison
uniform.
- If we give him his underpants he may take off his shorts.
- The allowed t-shirt must have a P on its backside and Dr. Biscet does not
accept that.
- No shoes are allowed in this cell, even those without laces.
- We provide him with any medicine he requires. Prisoners are given a daily
vitamin tablet.
- He is eating the food provided but refuses to accept the special diet such as
chicken, vegetables, and soup because Dr. Biscet considers it should be given to
all prisoners every day and not once a month.
- A doctor has taken his blood pressure but he refuses the medical checkup
requiring a blood sample because he believes he will be inoculated with a
disease.
- We spoke with him and he continues to refuse to wear the prison uniform.
On May 28, 2003, after appealing to the prison guards, my husband sent his
family a note saying:
"I am innocent of the charges which condemned me, reason why I will continue
my present attitude... a real man does not betray his ideals... I merely appeal
to the living God. Pray to our Lord for He is not impartial nor does He abandon
his servants. I am in good health, though lonely."
Dr. Oscar E. Biscet
We (the family) told prison authorities the following:
"My husband is a peaceful, God loving, nonviolent human being and not an animal.
We understand that there is a rule regarding wearing the prison uniform, but we
also know that most of the 75 prisoners sanctioned for so-called crimes against
state security are presently wearing civilian clothes due to the shortage of
prison uniforms in Cuba. Besides, the nature of these punishments evidences a
negative intention in the penal reeducation system. The prison measures against
him violate the international human rights treaties against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Punishments of which Cuba is signatory. They
violate his physical integrity, are not educational in nature and without a
doubt, lead to negative consequences, inducing diseases such as: psychological
traumas, skin ailments, serious respiratory and contagious illnesses, eye
problems, and diseases due to diet deficiency. Regardless of the status,
prisoners have rights in accordance with Article 31 of prison rules that state:
"Corporal punishment, imprisonment in a dark cell, as well as any cruel,
inhumane or humiliating punishment is strictly prohibited as disciplinary
actions."
"My husband's health was fine before he went to prison in 1999, but now he is
suffering from high blood pressure and gum disease." In 1999 Dr. Biscet was
sentenced to three years in prison for exercising his right to protest against
the death penalty in Cuba and demanding the liberation of all Cuban political
prisoners. He fully served his sentence in the prison "Cuba Si" in Holguin, 768
km. from his family, and was released on October 31, 2002. He was arrested again
December 6, 2002 as he was trying to meet with friends to discuss human rights
and initially incarcerated in the Combinado del Este Prison in Havana, accused
of disorderly conduct. On March 29, 2003, he was transferred to the Headquarters
of State Security and accused of committing acts that undermine the integrity
and sovereignty of Cuba. On April 7, 2003 he was sentenced to 25 years in prison
in a summary trial. On June 22, 2003, he was transferred to the Provincial
Prison of Pinar del Rio Kilo 5.5.
Dr. Biscet is 41, black, married and a father. His crimes are: honoring the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, opposing the death penalty and abortion,
and organizing pro democracy movements to demand his fellow countrymen's human
rights through nonviolent civil disobedience. This man does not deserve to die
in a dungeon. This man and his family have lost everything except God for the
noble cause of human rights. He deserves a just treatment. He is not a danger to
society and deserves to be free with his family and his people. I KNOW THAT MY
HUSBAND'S LIFE IS IN DANGER AND WELCOME THE URGENT INTERCESSION OF ALL MEN AND
WOMEN OF GOOD WILL IN THE WORLD, INCLUDING CUBAN AUTHORITIES." Politics and
justice are not synonymous. We can only improve humankind by working together.
Sincerely,
Lic. Elsa Morejon HernAndez
Avenida de Acosta #464
Entre 8va y 9na, Lawton
Municipio 10 de Octubre
Ciudad Habana, Cuba cp. 10700
Tel: + 53 7 991774