Protest Worsening Prison Conditions For Ill Cuban Activist

Protest Worsening Prison Conditions For Ill Cuban Activist

Click Here to Take Action
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Biscet/ind5ud8rh7kwei8?

Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet is seriously ill and suffering from
chronic gastritis and hypertension. The conditions in which he
is serving his 25 year prison term - imposed after an unfair
trial in 2003 for his non-violent advocacy of human rights - are
deteriorating.

Prison officials recently informed his family members that they
are punishing him for his peaceful protest of prison conditions
and threatened that those conditions could get worse.

Dr. Biscet is one of 75 human rights activists and independent
journalists sentenced in the spring of 2003 to prison terms of
up to 28 years.

Throughout much of his time in prison, Dr. Biscet has been held
in sub-standard punishment cells, often in solitary confinement
or with violent criminals. For long periods of time, he has been
deprived of any outside communication, visits or vital
medications sent by his family.

He is currently being held in a windowless cell which lacks
adequate water and from which he is infrequently taken outside.

Dr. Biscet's harsh prison conditions have further aggravated his
poor health and at one point last year, he was reported to have
lost more than 60 pounds. Cuban authorities should
unconditionally release this peaceful human rights defender and
all those imprisoned for the non-violent expression of their
beliefs.

To-date, the Cuban government has released 15 prisoners on
medical parole. Your letters of concern do make a difference.

Click here to Take Action:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Biscet/ind5ud8rh7kwei8?

Learn more about the case of Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet:
http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/ct/r7wVaMs1Ec9I/
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