Roberto GuerraCuban independent journalist Roberto de Jésus Guerra Pérez has been jailed for 14 months, although he never formally has been charged with a crime.
Despite his legal limbo, Guerra has not stopped his opposition to the communist regime. Last spring, for instance, he went on a hunger strike to protest abusive treatment in prison and the violation of his due process rights.
Even more significantly, he has continued his work as a journalist, serving as the source of information for a new report posted today at Payolibre.
According to the story, which was written by Juan Carlos Linares Balmaseda, Guerra, an inmate at the Nieves Morejón prison in Sancti Spíritus province, reported that:
— Common criminals have been robbing political prisoners Omar Moisés Ruiz Hernández and René Gómez Manzano.
Omar Ruiz"They can't even go outside for a few minutes of sun out of fear that someone will steal their food," Guerra said in a telephone interview from prison.Prison officials have not responded to complaints from the political prisoners, only fueling speculation that the common inmates are doing dirty work for the guards in exchange for conjugal visits and other privileges.
René Gómez— Another harassment technique used by prison officials is to place pro-Castro posters near cells housing political prisoners.— Political prisoners routinely have their outgoing mail reviewed by prison officials. If the prison "re-educator" determines that a letter contains a counter-revolutionary message, it is confiscated.
"Of the 48 letters I have sent my family, only five have arrived," Guerra said.
Guards are fully aware that Guerra has resumed his work as a journalist and that he has been reporting on human rights violations he has witnessed. The prison director has warned him to stop his "bad conduct."
Bad conduct?
To be accused of that by someone who helps the Cuban gulag run on time, has to be a badge of honor.
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