MIAMI, United States. – The prison authorities “recently” ratified the sentence of 15 years of deprivation of liberty imposed on political prisoner Mayelín Rodríguez Prado, who was sentenced for transmitting on Facebook the anti-government protests of August 2022 in Nuevitas, Camagüey.
According to complaints received by Cubalexthe ratification was carried out first verbally by a State Security official and then through official documentation.
Rodríguez Prado, held in the Provincial Women’s Prison of Camagüey (known as Granja 5), has reported inhumane conditions inside the penitentiary. “The inmates live in extremely precarious conditions: they do not have access to drinking water, they receive insufficient food and they lack medical care, as well as essential medicines,” Cubalex stressed after obtaining the testimony of the young political prisoner.
Added to this crisis is the prohibition, by the head of the prison, on introducing food during the end of the year.
The political prisoner also denounced the separation of prisoners of conscience from the rest of the prison population and their transfer to different galleys, a fact that increases their isolation and vulnerability. Likewise, she referred to the lack of legal guarantees: her lawyer has not shown interest in presenting more appeals, leaving her unprotected before the judicial system.
On the other hand, Cubalex has documented that the authorities have directly threatened Rodríguez Prado with locking her in a punishment cell due to her protest against the ratification of her sentence. This act – according to the complaints – would further restrict their fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression and protection against cruel and inhuman treatment.
Mayelín Rodríguez Prado was arrested after the demonstrations that occurred in Nuevitas, Camagüeyon August 18 and 19, 2022. Last April, she was tried along with 13 other Cubans for her participation in those protests and received the highest sentence of all those prosecuted: 15 years in prison.
The young woman, 24, was arrested at her home for posting on her social media images of little girls who were physically attacked by police officers while trying to avoid the arrest of their father during protests in New. She was accused and convicted of the alleged crimes of “enemy propaganda” and “sedition.”
