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In Danger Life of Incarcerated Cuban
Physician Dr. Oscar E. Biscet.
Confined in a "dungeon" since November 2003
January 3, 2004
"My husband is unrecognizable since I last saw him four months ago; he
is so thin, pale and ill looking", declared Elsa Morejon, wife of the
Cuban civic leader, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet Gonzalez, " these punishments
are destroying him and if he continues where he is he will die…"
Cuban prisoner of conscience, Dr. Oscar E. Biscet Gonzalez, who is
serving a 25 year prison sentence, continues confined with a common
criminal in a cell with no windows or light which he described as a
"dungeon", for refusing to stand up to acknowledge the presence of
prison guards and officials during the recount of prisoners. His
punishment prohibits family visits, food supplies, toiletries, clothing,
receiving or sending any correspondence, and going out in the sun.
Dr. Biscet informed his wife that all he asks is that his status as a
political prisoner be respected by prison authorities who force him to
follow disciplinary measures imposed upon common prisoners. He
reiterated to his family that "the punishments imposed upon me are of a
psychological nature and I am doing all in my power to endure them…"
The Prison Director at Prison Kilo 8 informed Elsa Morejon that her
husband "has no manners" since when he was forced by guards to stand
during the prisoners' recount he cried out loud "down with the
dictatorship".
Elsa Morejon, her brother and mother-in-law Hilda Gonzalez, traveled 80
kilometers from Havana to Kilo 8 Prison in the province of Pinar del Río
and were able to see Dr. Biscet for 15 minutes after holding a long
argument with high prison officials, who reminded them Dr. Biscet is
punished and cannot receive any visits. This Cuban physician has only
been permitted one family visit during the eight months he's been
imprisoned in the province of Pinar del Rio.
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 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.
Elsa Morejón Hernández
Address: Acosta 464 entre 8va y 9na,
Lawton, Municipio 10 de Octubre,
La Habana, Cuba.
Testimony by Elsa Morejón provided via telephone from Cuba.
Recorded, transcribed and translated.
Coalition of Cuban-American Women
LAIDA CARRO
Source: NetforCuba International
La Nueva Cuba
Enero 5, 2004
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