September 10, 1997

Grant amnesty to ailing females
in Cuban prisons now

by Monike de Motas
Independent Cuban Journalist

Havana - Currently Cuba holds up to sixteen females political prisoners. Five of them, are being held without trial, three are pending indictment, the other five, languish in jail while their case is still in the investigative phase.

Imprisonment is always traumatic, independently of the persons sex, but more so for women who, by nature, are usually less prepared to withstand the torture and misery associated with the deprivation of freedom in Cuba's egregious prisons.

Therefore even when it may be said that all females in prison suffer from different ailments, mainly, associated with psychiatric conditions, or malnutrition. There are some cases that for their extreme nature require our attention. Among them, five Cuban females require immediate relief.

The saddest case may be that of Maria Mendoza Marrero. A person with mental illness and epilepsy who has suffered imprisonment for five years now, and whose sentence extends into the next five years. Her illness was not developed behind bars, she was already sick in 1992, when she collaborated in attempting to steal a boat to elope from the country. The Cuban State showed no mercy with her even when she was manifestly incompetent.

In identical condition is Ariadnes Jordan Contreras; who even while suffering from a brittle diabetes and thyroid dysfunction, which have required repeated hospitalizations, it is expected that she will remain incarcerated for seven more years. Back in 1994, Ms. Contreras, received a 10- year sentence and she cannot hope for any merciful early release.

The remaining three are persons with psychiatric impairments and digestive conditions, which may account for their evident weight loss. In spite of which they will be forced to continue suffering for many years to come.

Maritza Santos Rocel and Xiomara Aliat Collado were both sentenced for alleged "insurrection"in 1992 and 1993 respectively. The first, has still four years and eight months to go, the second three.

Our fifth person with ailments is Maria de Jesus Benitez Tejeda, who was sentenced to six years, in 1996, for the crime of pretending to uphold her right to think and express her ideas freely.

Each and every one of these cases exhibit characteristics that a more humane society would grant them relief, including amnesty.

Translated directly from the Spanish electronic version by R. Rikki.