Youngest Cuba political prisoner on hunger strike

Dagni Pérez Rodríguez — at 18, reportedly the youngest political prisoner in Cuba — has started a hunger strike, according to Radio Martí.

Pérez, a member of the Central Opposition Coalition, started his protest March 19 after he was placed in a punishment cell at Pre-tensado prison in Villa Clara. He had earned the ire of his captors after he began shouting slogans in support of the Damas De Blanco, or "Ladies In White," which last week held a series of protest marches demanding the release of Cuban political prisoners.

Guards immediately grabbed Pérez, beat him and threw him in the prison's "hole."

Pérez has been imprisoned since March 5, when he was sentenced to 3 months in jail on a charge "damaging state property."

Sources- Radio Marti

Uncommon Sense

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'Re-education' officer beats Cuban political prisoner Darsi Ferrer

Radio Marti and the blog Uncommon Sence report that Dr. Darsi Ferrer has been beaten by a re-education officer. Darsi who was sent to prison without a trial for buying cement to repair his home is obviously in prison for his criticism of the communist regime and it's disregards for humans rights.

Dr. Darsi Ferrer Ramírez

The political "re-education" officer at the Vallegrande prison recently delivered a beating to Cuban political prisoner Dr. Darsi Ferrer. Such an assault is never warranted, but to make it worse, Ferrer was handcuffed and unable to defend himself when he was assaulted.

Ferrer, a physician and independent journalist, has been in jail since last July. No formal charges have been filed, but he reportedly has been accused of buying some construction materials on the black market in order to make repairs to his residence after it was damaged during a police raid.

No one believes that. What is more likely is that the dictatorship finally decided to clamp down hard on one of its most persistent and effective critics.

The fact that there is a "re-education" officer on Ferrer's case, is further proof that this is a political, not criminal, prosecution.

FREE DARSI FERRER NOW!

Cuban Police Kill a Mentally Unstable Man

CIEGO DE ÁVILA, Cuba, December 23 (Tico Morales, APLA / www.cubanet.org) - Madrigal, a man with mental problems and well known in the community, took his clothes off during one of his usual crisises and walked around town in his birthday suit, without no one, not even the popular social workers coming to his aid.

Madrigal was beaten with baton by several policemen, and while they were handcuffing him, the most famous insane person in town was strangled by these men in uniform.

People were so infuriated with the police, that the Secretary of the Communist Party, from Ciego de Ávila, “compañero Tapia”, traveled to the area to calm things and ordered that the Florencia Chief of Police be demoted.

During the victims funeral, new fights broke out when family members began attacking the police in attendance at the holy ground, throuing anything they could get their hands on at them.