|
Cuban
physician condemned to 25 years in prison
for defending human rights, is punished
once more in a "dungeon"
His wife urgently requests international
solidarity, alleging the objective of Cuban
authorities is to destroy him physically
and psychologically
Net
for Cuba. December,
2003.
Elsa Morejon, wife of Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet
Gonzalez, was informed via telephone on
December 11 by the head Official of Kilo
8 Prison where this physician is confined,
that her husband is punished once more in
a cell for refusing to stand up to acknowledge
the presence of prison guards and officials
during the recount of prisoners. Mrs. Morejon
hasn't seen her husband since August 2003.
Cuban prisoner of conscience, Dr. Oscar
E. Biscet Gonzalez, serving a 25 year prison
sentence, was transferred on November 12,
2003 from Kilo Cinco y Medio Prison to another
maximum security prison in the province
of Pinar del Rio called Kilo 8 and put in
a punishment cell for peacefully protesting
with six other prisoners of conscience,
the cruel treatment given by prison authorities
to the family of another fellow prisoner
of conscience.
Dr. Biscet was confined for 21 days with
a common criminal in a cell he described
as a "dungeon", without family
visits, food supplies, toiletries, writing
or reading materials, in a cell with no
windows, and prohibited from going out in
the sun.
On December 4, day when Dr. Biscet was
supposed to be released from his punishment,
Cuban authorities denied his wife seeing
him nor allow delivery of the food supply
he is entitled every three months.
In a fragment of a clandestine letter written
to his wife in November, Dr. Biscet reports:
I'm arbitrarily confined in a cell with
characteristics that violate the law - there
are no windows, only walls; a gloomy space
lacking sunlight and the sky's visibility.
I cannot go out in the sun at the hour assigned
because authorities want to handcuff me
with my hands behind my back, a practice
which violates prisoners' most elemental
regulations. This is humiliating and illegal.
Unsuccessfully, I have repeatedly requested
"internal control" personnel to
be alerted. My prison visit in November
was arbitrarily suspended, prohibiting me
from seeing my parents and wife. Of the
eight months I have been imprisoned in Pinar
del Rio, I have seen my family only once,
during two hours, in the month of August.
I am not allowed to have any type of communication
with my son and daughter who live abroad.
From the 8th of November to December 10th
we are praying to God to intercede on behalf
of Cuba's freedom and will conclude with
a 12 hour fast on December 10th from 6 am
- 6 pm. Inform our compatriots in case they
wish to pray and fast.
I sent my mother a letter which is, in
reality, addressed to all women with family
members imprisoned because of their defense
of human rights. All mothers, wives and
daughters could display, on their breast,
a picture of their loved one in prison that
read "INOCENT" and the name of
the prisoner. They should never remove it
and carry it until Cuba is free, also attending
church on Saturday and Sunday."
Dr. Biscet previously served 3 years in
prison and was released October 31, 2002,
only to be re-arrested on December 6, 2002
as he was to meet with human rights activists.
On April 7, 2003 he was tried summarily
during a Cuban government crackdown, along
with 75 other activists and independent
journalists and was sentenced to 25 years
for "serving as a mercenary to a foreign
state."
Dr. Biscet, a 42 year old black physician,
follower of Ghandi and Martin Luther King,
has been wearing only his underwear as he
deems it unacceptable to wear a common prisoner's
uniform because he considers himself innocent
of the charges for which he was sentenced.
He suffers from severe hypertension and
gum infection.
Elsa Morejon makes the Cuban government
responsible for the physical and mental
well-being of her husband and family, and
urgently appeals to heads of states, leaders
of political, civic, religious and professional
organizations, the press, and all men and
women of good will worldwide to demand before
the Cuban government the unconditional and
immediate freedom of Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet
and all those prisoners whose only crime
is to honor the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights in their own country.
Testimony by Elsa Morejon provided via
telephone from Cuba. Recorded, transcribed
and translated.
Coalition of Cuban-American Women/ LAIDA
CARRO Email: Joseito76@aol.com
Elsa MorejOn Hernandez / Address: Acosta
464 entre 8va y 9na, Lawton, Municipio 10
de Octubre, La Habana, Cuba.
|
