Summary
Ten of the deaths were linked to penitentiary establishments and two occurred during Military Service.
The September figure more than doubles the five deaths in custody documented in August and constitutes the highest recorded since February 2016.
The other two cases correspond to 18-year-olds who died while performing their military service.
The Cubalex monitoring team counted 10 deaths of people in the custody of the Cuban State and two during Military Service in September 2026, a figure that represents more than double the five deaths recorded during August and constitutes the highest monthly figure documented since February of this year.
Of the total deaths recorded in September, 10 were linked to prison facilities, including two people who were released in critical condition and subsequently died. The other two cases involved 18-year-olds who died while performing their mandatory military service.
Within the set of cases documented during the month, Cubalex identified three with indications of extrajudicial execution, a category that corresponds to deaths in which there are elements that point to a possible direct state responsibility for the death and that require an independent, impartial and effective investigation.
This figure comes amid persistent deaths in state custody. In the first half of 2026, Cubalex monitoring... had documented at least 39 deaths of people in the custody of the Cuban state. The organization warns that these records constitute an undercount, due to the lack of transparency of the authorities, the absence of official statistics, restrictions on access to public information and the fear of many families to report due to possible reprisals.
READ ALSO: Deaths in state custody in the first half of 2026
Two young men died while performing their military service in Granma and Holguín.
Among the cases registered in September are the deaths of Yandiel Jurado, 18 years old, in Manzanillo, Granma, and Leordanis Ramón Ricardo Batista, also 18 years old, in a unit of the Youth Labor Army (EJT) in the Nipe area, Holguín.
Yandiel died after being shot inside a military unit while performing his mandatory military service. According to testimonies released about the case, another recruit was handling a rifle and an accidental discharge occurred, striking the young man. One version indicates that Yandiel was talking on the phone with his girlfriend when the incident happened.
The The young man's mother had repeatedly opposed her son being drafted into the Military Service. According to the testimonies received, he received fines for his refusal until Yandiel was finally sent to perform the Service.
The second case involves Leordanis Ramón Ricardo Batista, known to family and friends as “Leo”, who died On September 22, around 9:00 a.m., he died while at a unit of the Young Workers' Army (EJT) in Nipe, Holguín. He had been in military service for less than two months. Independent reports place his death in a context related to his mental health and indicate that the young man had received psychological treatment since approximately the age of nine for nervous problems.
Before his joining, the family reportedly submitted documentation regarding his health history, but Leordanis was ultimately declared fit. to fulfill his military service. The same sources point to Major Bandera, identified as the unit's commander, and claim that the officer refused to cooperate with the transfer of the young man to a unit closer to his home in Banes, despite the efforts made by the family and the condition he was in.
The testimonies also accuse him of having yelled at him and verbally abused him on several occasions, in addition to subjecting him to strong pressure within the unit.
These elements must be clarified through an independent investigation that determines the circumstances of both deaths, as well as the possible existence of responsibilities for action or omission by the commanders in charge of guaranteeing the life and integrity of the young people during the fulfillment of Military Service.
More than one hundred deaths in custody documented since 2024
Cubalex monitoring documented at least 39 deaths of people in Cuban state custody between January and June 2026. The data represents an undercount, and the actual number of deaths may be significantly higher due to a lack of state transparency, the absence of official statistics, restrictions on accessing public information, and the fear of family members to report these incidents due to possible reprisals.
The death of a person deprived of their liberty constitutes one of the most serious expressions of state responsibility in the area of human rights. Those in custody depend entirely on the authorities to guarantee their life, their physical integrity, access to medical care, and conditions compatible with human dignity.
Cubalex also It has documented that investigations into deaths in custody are, in practice, nonexistent or lack independence and impartiality. The processes are characterized by opacity, lack of access to information for families, and the presentation of official versions that may minimize or conceal possible state responsibilities.
This situation creates a profound gap between the testimonies of family members and witnesses and the explanations offered by state institutions. The lack of effective investigations and accountability mechanisms perpetuates impunity and makes it difficult for families to learn the truth about the circumstances in which their loved ones died.
Cubalex's semiannual report also noted that no documented death in custody up to that point had evidence of an independent, impartial, and effective investigation.
The situation in September adds to a pattern of deaths in custody that Cubalex has documented over the past few years. In its special report “Deaths in custody in penitentiary establishments (2024–2026)”, The organization recorded 115 deaths in state custody linked to prison facilities between February 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026. The report included seven cases of people released or granted early release in critical situations, whose deaths occurred hours or days after leaving the prison.
The analysis identified neglect or denial of medical care as the predominant mechanism, associated with at least 80 of the 115 deaths recorded during that period. It also documented deaths linked to tuberculosis, malnutrition, starvation, violence, and possible lethal direct actions.
For Cubalex, these patterns demonstrate the need for every death that occurs in state custody to be investigated independently, impartially, thoroughly and effectively, with the participation and adequate access of families to information about what happened.