Alert About the Situation of Angel Santiesteban / Estado de Sats

ANGEL-FOTO-I-300x154The writer Ángel Santiesteban has been transferred to Prison 1580, and the attorney for his case Amelia Rodriguez Cala could not see him today, despite having made a formal request and this right being guaranteed under the law. The officials denied the visit and told her that Angel was in “voluntary starvation” and a ”cell with special restrictions” (read hunger strike and punishment cell).

Days earlier while in La Lima Prison, Angel refused to accept a pass to leave and asked to be present at a visit planned by national and foreign journalists accredited in Cuba to that penitentiary; this information was received through anonymous calls that informed us of his being transferred to Prison 1580 on Sunday afternoon, and that a violent situation arose because of this.

The attorney Rodriguez Cala tells us that during the long years of her career, even in political cases, she had never been denied an inmate visit. It is extremely troubling that she has not been allowed to see Angel and she issues an alert on the possible conditions in which he is being held. We make an urgent call to national and international public opinion about the violations being committed in this case. We ask for your solidarity and justice.

11 April 2013