Onaikel Infante Abreu, a political prisoner held in the Combinado del Este prison in Havana, is facing a serious decline in his health due to the precarious prison conditions. For several days, he has been experiencing diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and intense weakness, symptoms that could indicate a viral infection.
His wife, Sujay Acosta Toscano, told Cubalex that Infante Abreu has been detained for a year without having been brought to trial, and his physical condition has deteriorated significantly during this time. During his imprisonment, he has been the victim of constant mistreatment and cruel treatment by prison authorities, who have beaten him without providing him with the necessary medical attention.
In July, Infante Abreu went on a hunger strike that lasted several days; at its end, he was brutally beaten by guards. As a sign of protest, he cut off one of his fingers and wrote a message of freedom for Cuba and political prisoners on a prison wall, using his own blood.
In retaliation, he was subjected to torture using a restraint technique known as "shakiras," commonly employed in Cuban prisons. This method uses restraint belts consisting of a chain around the waist, to which the hands are handcuffed and which is connected by another chain to the ankles, severely limiting the prisoner's mobility.
Onaikel Infante Abreu was arrested On October 27, 2023, after holding a peaceful protest on the rooftop of a house, where he displayed a sheet with anti-government slogans and demanded "food for the people.".
Cubalex will continue to closely monitor their situation. In cases like this, immediate medical attention is crucial to protecting the physical well-being of the inmates.