Cubalex, 2 February 2025 — Yankiel Justiz Despaigne, a 36-year-old inmate, died on January 30 from tuberculosis, in the Melena del Sur prison, located in the province of Mayabeque.
According to information received by Cubalex, Justiz Despaigne died in his cell without receiving timely medical care, despite the fact that tuberculosis is a preventable and treatable disease if detected in time.
His death adds to a long list of deaths in custody in Cuba, where prison conditions and lack of adequate medical care have resulted in an alarming pattern of human rights violations.
Medical negligence in Cuban prisons is a systemic practice that results in preventable deaths. Among the most frequent irregularities are:
– Minimization or neglect of symptoms reported by detainees
– Delays or refusals in the administration of medical treatments
– Inadequate or non-existent responses to health emergencies
Prison conditions which aggravate the health crisis
Prison conditions in Cuba further increase the vulnerability of prisoners. Overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, malnutrition, and shortage of drinking water seriously affect the health of people deprived of liberty. The lack of hygiene, adequate ventilation, and poor nutrition not only deteriorate their physical condition, but also amplify the spread of diseases, turning prisons into high-risk environments.
This case exposes a structural crisis within the Cuban prison system, where the lack of medical care, coupled with inhumane prison conditions, represents a constant threat to the lives of people in state custody.
Cubalex has documented multiple cases of deaths in custody as a result of medical negligence and deplorable conditions of confinement. Between January 2022 and January 2024, 56 deaths in state custody were recorded, of whom 34 were prison inmates. 19 of these deaths were directly attributed to the denial of medical care and resulting health problems. For more information on the patterns identified, see our report.
report-https://cubalex.org/report/muerte-en-custodia-en-cuba-un-
Translated by Tomás A.
