On Sunday, Cuban political prisoner Luis Barrios Diaz passed away at the La Covadonga hospital in Havana due to the negligence of the prison authorities. The Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH) reported that Barrios Díaz, aged 37, began experiencing respiratory issues in August and was admitted to the infirmary of prison 1580 in San Miguel del Padrón, Havana. Despite doctors advising him to stay hospitalized, he was transferred to the La Covadonga hospital for specialized care. However, his health deteriorated after being returned to prison due to a lack of fuel for constant surveillance. He died on Saturday after undergoing emergency surgery for respiratory complications.
The OCDH called for an immediate release of all political prisoners and highlighted the deteriorating health of other political prisoners such as Félix Navarro and José Daniel Ferrer. The organization also requested statements from democratic governments and the European Union regarding the serious situation of political prisoners in Cuba, emphasizing the responsibility of the state to provide adequate medical services to prisoners.
Barrios Díaz was previously sentenced to nine years in prison for participating in the historic protests of July 11, 2021. His death is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by political prisoners in Cuba and highlights the need for urgent action from democratic governments and human rights organizations around the world.