Fifteen years ago on February 23, 2010 Cuban human rights defender and prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata Tamayo was killed while on hunger strike, after being denied water on and off by prison authorities for 18 days causing his kidneys to shut down.
Orlando Zapata had worked on human rights campaigns with Medal of Freedom laureate Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet and gathered signatures with Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas for the Varela Project petition. Oswaldo Payá, together with youth leader Harold Cepero, were killed extrajudicially on July 22, 2012 by agents of Cuba’s Communist government, revealed the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in their June 2023 report on the merits.
Currently, there are over 1,100 political prisoners in Cuba, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has not been able to see any of them. The last time the ICRC was able to visit Cuban prisons, and meet political prisoners was in 1989.
Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez
Prison conditions have not improved over the past 15 years in Cuba. Political prisoner Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez (age 44) died on February 11, 2025 at the El Guatao Forced Labor Camp in Havana. She was a mother of two children. Yoielsy had been sentenced to five years in prison on November 20, 2023, but had already been jailed since nonviolently, on October 10, 2022, protesting prolonged power outages in the municipality of Güines in Mayabeque province.
Havana’s repression extends beyond Cuba, and has involved the murder of American citizens in international airspace.
Twenty nine years ago, on February 24, 1996 Armando Alejandre Jr. (45 years old), Carlos Alberto Costa (29), Mario Manuel de la Peña (24), and Pablo Morales (29) were in two planes engaged in a search and rescue flight for rafters when they were blown out of the sky by missiles launched from a Cuban MiG following Raul Castro’s orders. International investigations concluded that the civilian planes were shot down in international airspace in violation of international norms.This was a premeditated act of state terrorism by the Cuban regime.
On Sunday, February 23 at 3:00pm, the time Orlando Zapata Tamayo died, there will be a vigil at the Casa del Preso located at 1140 SW 13th Ave, Miami, FL 33135 in remembrance of the Cuban hunger striker.
On Monday, February 24, at 3:15pm friends and families of Armando Alejandre Jr., Carlos Alberto Costa, Mario Manuel de la Peña, and Pablo Morales, and members of the Florida International University community will gather and hold a vigil to remember them and silently demand justice 29 years after the shoot down. The vigil will take place at Florida International University ( University Park campus) located at 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199 at the main fountain next to the Main Library and Student Union. The silent vigil will start at 3:21pm and end at 3:27pm, the times the two Brothers to the Rescue planes were destroyed by missiles launched from Castro’s MiGs killing Armando, Carlos, Mario, and Pablo. This vigil has been taking place at FIU annually since 1996.
CiberCuba, February 12, 2025
A Cuban mother sentenced for protesting against power outages dies in prison
The 44-year-old Cuban was imprisoned on October 11, 2022.
Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez (i) and Images of the protest in Güines on October 10, 2022 (d)Photo © Social media collage
Oviedo Rodríguez, 44 years old and mother of two children, was imprisoned after participating in a peaceful protest on October 10, 2022 in the municipality of Güines, Mayabeque province, against the prolonged blackouts affecting the population.
On November 20, 2023, she was sentenced to five years in prison.
Refusal to hand over the body to her family
The activist Marcel Valdés reported that the prison authorities initially refused to hand over the body to his family.
His son quickly went to the prison to obtain information, and they assured him that the body would be delivered at 7 PM last night.
Almost 24 hours later, the remains of Oviedo Rodríguez were transferred under heavy security to the funeral home at Calzada and K, in Havana.
The death of Yoleisy has sparked strong outrage among activists and Cuban opponents, who believe she was a victim of a systematic strategy by the government to break political prisoners.
“Deaths in Cuba’s prisons are becoming increasingly common, reflecting a penitentiary system where incarcerated individuals face mistreatment, extreme malnutrition, and diseases without medical attention, with no access to justice or the minimum conditions required to survive,” denounced Cubalex.
“We express our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez. Her name will not be forgotten. We will continue to denounce human rights violations in Cuba,” they added.
Activists and human rights organizations have reported that conditions in Cuban prisons are inhuman, especially for political prisoners, who are regularly subjected to torture, hunger, and medical neglect.
The case of Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez adds to a growing list of political prisoners, or common prisoners, who have lost their lives while in custody of the regime, several of them in recent months.
This week, two Cuban inmates died in the Boniato prison in Santiago de Cuba, allegedly due to extreme malnutrition and neglect, according to reports from human rights organizations.
Last year, Cubalex, specialized in monitoring human rights in Cuba and offering free legal assistance on the island, published a report on the repression in the country during the first half of 2024, which resulted in 26 deaths in custody.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Death of Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez and Prison Conditions in Cuba
Who was Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez and why was she in prison?
Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez was a 44-year-old Cuban mother imprisoned for participating in a peaceful protest against power outages in October 2022. She was sentenced to five years in prison in November 2023 and died at the El Guatao Forced Labor Camp in Havana. Her imprisonment and death reflect the systematic repression of the Cuban regime against those who peacefully express their dissent.
What do activists denounce about the conditions in prisons in Cuba?
Activists and human rights organizations report that conditions in Cuban prisons are inhumane, with political prisoners facing mistreatment, extreme malnutrition, and medical neglect. These conditions have led to numerous deaths, including that of Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez, whose lack of adequate medical care was a determining factor in her passing.
How has the Cuban government reacted to reports of deaths in prison?
The Cuban government has remained silent in the face of increasing reports about the inhumane conditions in prisons and the deaths of inmates. No independent investigations have been conducted nor have any significant improvements been implemented in the penitentiary system, despite international criticism and that of human rights organizations.
What impact do the deaths of political prisoners have on the visibility of the situation in Cuba?
The deaths of political prisoners have highlighted human rights violations in Cuba and have increased international pressure on the Cuban regime. These tragedies have brought to light the repression and lack of freedom of expression on the island, fueling the global call for justice and the release of political detainees.
IACHR, February 26, 2010
N° 22/10
IACHR CONDEMNS DEATH OF ORLANDO ZAPATA IN CUBA
Washington, D.C., February 26, 2010 — The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) deeply regrets and condemns the death of Cuban dissident Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who died of starvation after 85 days on a hunger strike. The IACHR expresses its condolences and solidarity with his next of kin.
Mr. Zapata Tamayo was one of the victims in IACHR Case No. 12.476, in which the Inter-American Commission recommended to the State of Cuba that it order the immediate and unconditional release of all the victims in the case and overturn their convictions, inasmuch as they were based on laws that impose unlawful restrictions on their human rights. The report on the merits in this case, approved on October 21, 2006, also recommended that the State adopt the measures necessary to adapt its laws, procedures, and practices to international human rights laws; redress the victims and their next of kin for the pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages suffered as a result of the violations of the American Declaration established in the report; and adopt the measures necessary to prevent a recurrence of similar acts. The State of Cuba has not complied with the IACHR’s recommendations.
Orlando Zapata Tamayo was detained in March 2003, as part of a crackdown by the State of Cuba against human rights activists and independent journalists. Between April 3 and 7, 2003, the more than 70 individuals who had been detained in March were subject to proceedings that lasted no longer than a day and were held behind closed doors, with access barred to reporters, diplomats, and the general public. At the end of the proceedings, they were sentenced to prison terms of up to 28 years. At that time, Mr. Zapata Tamayo was sentenced to three years in prison.
Subsequently, Mr. Zapata Tamayo was sentenced in Cuba to additional prison terms, due to his dissident opinions. According to news accounts, he had reportedly been sentenced to 36 years in prison. Information received by the IACHR indicates that Mr. Zapata Tamayo had been subjected to torture and inhumane treatment in the Kilo 8 prison.
Meanwhile, the IACHR also received information that, following the death of Mr. Zapata Tamayo, at least 50 dissidents reportedly were detained or forced to remain in their houses to prevent them from attending the wake and funeral.
The Commission reiterates that restrictions to political rights and to freedom of expression and the dissemination of thought; the lack of elections; and the lack of independence of the judiciary create a permanent situation in Cuba in which the fundamental rights of its citizens are violated. The Commission once again urges the State to carry out the reforms that are necessary in accordance with its international human rights obligations.
The IACHR would like to reiterate to the State of Cuba the recommendation that it order the immediate and unconditional release of all the victims in Case 12.476 and overturn their convictions, inasmuch as they were based on laws that impose unlawful restrictions on their human rights. The IACHR also urges the State of Cuba to adapt its legal procedures to applicable international standards for due process, so that those who go before the courts for a determination of their rights and responsibilities can count on the minimum legal guarantees to be able to exercise their defense.
A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who act in a personal capacity, without representing a particular country, and who are elected by the OAS General Assembly.
Useful links
Case 12.476, Merits Report
http://www.cidh.oas.org/Comunicados/English/2010/22-10eng.htm