Without release, the torture suffered by some Cuban political prisoners is irreversible (UPDATED)

Cuban human rights activist/lawyer/journalist Juan Carlos González Leiva warned this week that as many as 10 Cuban political prisoners may be permanently incapacitated by their poor health if they are not soon released from the Cuban gulag.

In an interview with Radio Martí, González, himself a former political prisoner, highlighted the cases of four of those prisoners:

• Ariel Sigler Amaya, who has been left paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair.
• Antonio Villareal Acosta, who suffers from psychiatric disorders caused by his confinement.
• Normando Hernández González, who suffers from severe intestinal problems.
• Pedro Argüelles Morán, who is practically blind.

(For the names of the other six prisoners, see update below.)

Despite the anticipation of possible prisoner transfers under an arrangement reached between the Castro dictatorship and the Catholic Church, González said he has yet to detect "a change in the spirit of the government."

González added he does not anticipate that the Castro regime will allow a mass release of prisoners anytime soon.

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The fate of Cuba's most severely ill political prisoners has been central to Guillermo Fariñas' now 93-day hunger strike. He reiterated this week that his sole demand is the release of some two dozen sick prisoners.

For their names and more about their conditions,  read this list. (Microsoft Word document)

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UPDATED, May 28, 2010 — A report at Diario De Cuba includes the names of additional prisoners who are considered critically ill. They are:

• Juan Carlos Herrera Acosta, who suffers various cardiac, respiratory, intestinal and other ailments.
• Dr. José Luís García Paneque, who suffers from spinal, kidney and respiratory ailments.
• Librado Linares García, who is partially blind and suffers from digestive and respiratory problems.
• Blas Giraldo Reyes Rodríguez, who suffers from kidney, circulatory, prostate and intestinal ailments.
• Próspero Gainza Agüero, who is nearly blind and suffers from intestinal and kidney problems.
• Fabio Prieto Llorente, who is hypertensive and suffers from allergies and digestive and respiratory problems.