Death of Cuban Prisoner of Conscience on Hunger Strike

[Bud Struggle]

It seems "disrespect", "public disorder" and "resistance" are major crimes in Cuba. This from Amnesty International--no less.


Amnesty International has urged Cuban President Raúl Castro to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience after a political activist died following a hunger strike.

Orlando Zapata Tamayo was reported to have been on hunger strike in protest at prison conditions for several weeks before his death in Havana on Monday.

"The tragic death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo is a terrible illustration of the despair facing prisoners of conscience who see no hope of being freed from their unfair and prolonged incarceration," said Gerardo Ducos, Amnesty International's Caribbean researcher. "A full investigation must be carried out to establish whether ill-treatment may have played a part in his death."

Orlando Zapata Tamayo was arrested in March 2003 and in May 2004 he was sentenced to three years in prison for "disrespect", "public disorder" and "resistance"...

http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGNAU2010022415597&lang=e

[Kwisatz Haderach]

Well, he chose to starve himself to death. This is suicide. The Cuban government bears absolutely no responsibility for it.

The Cuban government put this man in prison. That is the only thing the government is responsible for. If Zapata decided to kill himself, that's his problem.

[Kingpin]

Isn't he one of the ones that was jailed for working along the United States government in their attempt to make the island property of foreign capital?

http://www.revleft.com/vb/cuban-truth-against-t126472/index.html?t=126472

If so, then he is an enemy of the people.

He is for the continuation of global capitalism, exploitation, and the wage-labor system.

[gorillafuck]

What exactly is "disrespect"?

[Drace]

Ahh, Bud...

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/faqdocs/CubaAndHumanRights.pdf

[Bud Struggle]

Well here's a link from the other thread that gives you a good idea of what life in Cuba is really like.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/world/americas/04havana.html

Though you probably think about the NYTimes is a good of a source as I think solidarity.org is. :)

[manic expression]

Well here's a link from the other thread that gives you a good idea of what life in Cuba is really like.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/world/americas/04havana.html

Though you probably think about the NYTimes is a good of a source as I think solidarity.org is. :)
So there's a black market in Cuba. This isn't exactly news. Try to deal with the subject at hand.

[Bud Struggle]

Try to deal with the subject at hand.

But it was my subject. :rolleyes:

Anyway, here's what Raul had to say about it:

Reporting from Mexico City - Cuban President Raul Castro made the rare gesture Wednesday of "lamenting" the death of a political prisoner who succumbed after an 85-day hunger strike, according to international news agencies reporting from Havana.

Castro spoke during a tour of Cuba's Mariel port with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and a statement containing his remarks was sent to Havana-based journalists.

He was commenting on the death Tuesday of Orlando Zapata Tamayo, a 42-year-old plumber imprisoned in 2003 who was serving a 36-year sentence for disobedience of the government, among other charges.

Zapata was staging a hunger strike to protest conditions in Cuban jails. His death drew condemnation from Amnesty International and several countries, including the U.S., Spain and France.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-cuba25-2010feb25,0,1560294.story

He was a plumber--he wasn't trying to set up some mulit-national corporation in Cuba. And that's 36 years for disobedience to the government--seem a bit harsh, don't you think?

[manic expression]

But it was my subject. :rolleyes:
The existence of a black market and the treatment of prisoners are two different things.


He was a plumber--he wasn't trying to set up some mulit-national corporation in Cuba. And that's 36 years for disobedience to the government--seem a bit harsh, don't you think?
He wasn't in prison for being a plumber, he was in prison for breaking the laws of Cuba. His death, while surely regrettable, was not the result of an act by the Cuban government but a decision he made himself. Further, the link you posted shows that many in Cuba oppose the Cuban government, and yet they are not in prison, they do not face repression. If mere "disobedience to the government" was an automatic ticket to prison, then Oswaldo Paya (pictured prominently at the beginning of the article) would be sitting in a cell, wouldn't he? But he isn't. You need to think a bit more about the situation instead of making knee-jerk accusations.

[RGacky3]

And that's 36 years for disobedience to the government--seem a bit harsh, don't you think?

Is'nt every person in prison in every country in the world, there for disobedience to the government?

BTW Bud do you know EXACTLY why he's in prison? There may be a reason its vague. Also Bud, if you really card about human rights abuses, why do you ONLY focus on those in places that claim to be socialist? Why not once in a while mention the tons and tons of other cases, MUCH more severe than this in Capitalist countries?

Also Bud, your not a wobblie, if you signed up by lying then your just just being a douche bag, the IWW does not allow bosses in the union, for a very good damn reason, and with your Margaret Thatcher (Englands Ronald Reagon, aka douche) quote, I really doubt you share any interest with the IWW. Your not a Wobblie and its a disrespect to claim it.

[Bud Struggle]

why do you ONLY focus on those in places that claim to be socialist? Because it is a Socialist website.



Also Bud, your not a wobblie, if you signed up by lying then your just just being a douche bag, the IWW does not allow bosses in the union, for a very good damn reason, and with your Margaret Thatcher (Englands Ronald Reagon, aka douche) quote, I really doubt you share any interest with the IWW. Your not a Wobblie and its a disrespect to claim it.

I, of course, am not a Wobblie or a British Earl, or the "Tigress of Siberia" or one of the hundred other Avatars I've sported over the last year. I change them ever couple of days--it's just interesting.

[RGacky3]

Because it is a Socialist website.

Touche


I, of course, am not a Wobblie or a British Earl, or the "Tigress of Siberia" or one of the hundred other Avatars I've sported over the last year. I change them ever couple of days--it's just interesting.

I understand, but for people that are wobblies, at least in my case, it seams kind of disrespectful.

[Bud Struggle]

Touche



I understand, but for people that are wobblies, at least in my case, it seams kind of disrespectful.

My apologies. No more Wobblies for me in the future. :)

[Drace]

200 political prisoners? Omg! Millions are dying!

[gorillafuck]

Is'nt every person in prison in every country in the world, there for disobedience to the government?
Yes, but there's a clear distinction between disobedience by murdering someone and disobedience by smoking pot.

What were the specifics of the guys sentence?

[RGacky3]

200 political prisoners? Omg! Millions are dying!


You could probably find 200 politcal prisoners PER STATE in the US.

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

Well, he chose to starve himself to death. This is suicide. The Cuban government bears absolutely no responsibility for it.

The Cuban government put this man in prison. That is the only thing the government is responsible for. If Zapata decided to kill himself, that's his problem.

I think this is a rather fucked up position to hold.

When one is rotting in a cell somewhere because the government feels you are a threat to their power structure you don't really have many options to protest your treatment. That this man was willing to die in order to draw attention to the prison system he was subjected to is a testament to his beliefs. It really is a powerful statement in a way.

I'd recommend you look up some of the hunger strikers in northern ireland, it's interesting.

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

If so, then he is an enemy of the people.

He is for the continuation of global capitalism, exploitation, and the wage-labor system.

The mere fact that those who suggest an alternative to the staus quo should be thrown in jail, and put in conditions which motivate themselves to starve themselves to death in protest, is a sure sign to the bankruptcy of any system which has the supposed support of the people.

If the people see his ideas as an enemy to themselves then they would ignore them. Yet here we have a government which feels the need to go a step further and throw him into prison.

Sure, if he made bombs for the CIA thats one thing, but nothing has come out to suggest he did anything but the cardinal sin of doubting the system that he lived in.


And who gives a fuck what he was for. Unless he was for murder or rape, then prison shouldn't be a place you send people for being for something, as disgusting as capitalism may be.

[Green Dragon]

[
QUOTE=Kingpin;1680572]Isn't he one of the ones that was jailed for working along the United States government in their attempt to make the island property of foreign capital?

I guess one of his sins is that he was not a nativist. Gotta keep them fureners outta Cuba.

[RGacky3]

I guess one of his sins is that he was not a nativist. Gotta keep them fureners outta Cuba.

You know thats not what he was talking about. Foreign CAPITAL.


The mere fact that those who suggest an alternative to the staus quo should be thrown in jail, and put in conditions which motivate themselves to starve themselves to death in protest, is a sure sign to the bankruptcy of any system which has the supposed support of the people.

If the people see his ideas as an enemy to themselves then they would ignore them. Yet here we have a government which feels the need to go a step further and throw him into prison.

Sure, if he made bombs for the CIA thats one thing, but nothing has come out to suggest he did anything but the cardinal sin of doubting the system that he lived in.


And who gives a fuck what he was for. Unless he was for murder or rape, then prison shouldn't be a place you send people for being for something, as disgusting as capitalism may be.

I completely agree with you, but because we don't know exactly what his crime or charge was, we can't come toany conclusion on this specific case.


If so, then he is an enemy of the people.

What the hell does enemy of the people mean? How can you be an enemy of THE people, seriously, its just leninist rhetoric that has no meaning.

[RedStarOverChina]

For everyone of "your guys" that get killed, hundreds of our people die.

Not that he deserves more attention than Iraqis, Afghans or American blacks---Does anyone have any updates on the cause of his death?

[Bud Struggle]

For everyone of "your guys" that get killed, hundreds of our people die.

Not that he deserves more attention than Iraqis, Afghans or American blacks---Does anyone have any updates on the cause of his death?

Sorry Comrade--but EVERY death deserves attention. I certainly don't pretend that every act committed by a Capitalist country is worthy of praise--by you Communists insist that Cuba is some sort of "Democracy" with freedoms and without persecution.

It isn't the case. Cuba's just another dictatorship--albeit one with excellent healthcare.

If you want to build a Communist world--fine, but we need to start again from scratch.

[Drace]

Sorry Comrade--but EVERY death deserves attention. I certainly don't pretend that every act committed by a Capitalist country is worthy of praise--by you Communists insist that Cuba is some sort of "Democracy" with freedoms and without persecution.

It isn't the case. Cuba's just another dictatorship--albeit one with excellent healthcare.

If you want to build a Communist world--fine, but we need to start again from scratch. 200 political prisoners doesn't constitute a dictatorship.

The US in times, has thrown many communists into jail for their beliefs. The 1922 raids and the Mcarchy Era for example imprisoned thousands.

Eugene V. Debs for example was sentenced to 20 years for speaking out against WW1 under the Espionage Act of 1917.
About 75 newspapers as well were lost privilege of printing.

The Cuban system is very much more democratic than many countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Cuba

[Bud Struggle]

200 political prisoners doesn't constitute a dictatorship.

The US in times, has thrown many communists into jail for their beliefs. The 1922 raids and the Mcarchy Era for example imprisoned thousands.

Eugene V. Debs for example was sentenced to 20 years for speaking out against WW1 under the Espionage Act of 1917.
About 75 newspapers as well were lost privilege of printing.


Meanwhile back in the early 1900 in the United States....:rolleyes:

So is your point that Cuba is 100 years behind the US in Political rights?

[RGacky3]

Meanwhile back in the early 1900 in the United States....:rolleyes:

So is your point that Cuba is 100 years behind the US in Political rights?

1970s black panther memberse killed, Anarchist protesters arrested before braking any law, peace groups harrassed by federal governments under the patriot act, and so on.

[manic expression]

The Granma, once again, brings unparalleled clarity to the issue:

En las últimas horas, sin embargo, algunas agencias de prensa y gobiernos se han apresurado en condenar a Cuba por la muerte en prisión, el pasado 23 de febrero, del cubano Orlando Zapata Tamayo. Toda muerte es dolorosa y lamentable. Pero el eco mediático se tiñe esta vez de entusiasmo: al fin —parecen decir—, aparece un "héroe". Por ello se impone explicar brevemente, sin calificativos innecesarios, quién fue Zapata Tamayo. Pese a todos los maquillajes, se trata de un preso común que inició su actividad delictiva en 1988. Procesado por los delitos de "violación de domicilio" (1993), "lesiones menos graves" (2000), "estafa" (2000), "lesiones y tenencia de arma blanca" (2000: heridas y fractura lineal de cráneo al ciudadano Leonardo Simón, con el empleo de un machete), "alteración del orden" y "desórdenes públicos" (2002), entre otras causas en nada vinculadas a la política, fue liberado bajo fianza el 9 de marzo del 2003 y volvió a delinquir el 20 del propio mes. Dados sus antecedentes y condición penal, fue condenado esta vez a 3 años de cárcel, pero la sentencia inicial se amplió de forma considerable en los años siguientes por su conducta agresiva en prisión.

http://www.granma.cu/espanol/2010/febrero/sabado27/Para-quien.html

Emphasis mine. Yeah, cracking someone's skull open with a machete is the calling card of every "political prisoner", isn't it? Give me a break. The fact that "political prisoner" is being thrown around is absurd. The actual political opponents of the Cuban Revolution are quite free, and that's why they're now able to attempt an opportunistic twisting of facts in order to cherish a few drops of spotlight. If you want to talk about political rights in Cuba, that's fine, but don't drag stuff like this into that issue, it's just cheap.

[RGacky3]

Sorry Comrade--but EVERY death deserves attention.

Yeah, where were you during the Mexican killings of people in Atenco, Oaxaca, Chiapas by the Mexican government in defense of the Mexican and AMerican Capitalists. Or do they not count?

You (like the American media) will scream from the rooftops at the death of a pro-capitalist guy in a Socialistic country, but what about Mexico, just right south of the Border, what about El Salvador? what about Nigeragua? What about so many countries in Latin America, that the US supports and the US ruling class invests in. Your all silent then, or you just brush it off as irrelivent.

There are tons of other examples as well, where everyone just shuts the hell up but roars about 1 guy, if every death is important, and I believe it is, where were you during Oaxaca?

[Bud Struggle]

You (like the American media) will scream from the rooftops at the death of a pro-capitalist guy in a Socialistic country,..?

I'm not screaming about anything. This is a Socialist site so I'm discussing Socialist actions that happened THE OTHER DAY. If the actions in Mexico happened two days ago I would condemn them also.

And they guy WASN'T pro-Capitalist. He was protesting the treatment of prisioners in Cuban jails.

Orlando Zapata Tamayo, a 42-year-old plumber and bricklayer, stopped eating solid food Dec. 3 to protest what he described as repeated beatings by guards and many other abuses at his Kilo 7 prison in the eastern province of Camagüey.

Active in several dissident organizations, he had been arrested in 2003 amid a government crackdown that sentenced 75 government critics to lengthy prison terms, and Amnesty International declared him a ``prisoner of conscience.''

Initially charged with contempt, public disorder and ``disobedience'' and sentenced to three years, he was convicted of other acts of defiance while in prison, and by the time of his death faced a total of 36 years in prison.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/23/1496572/cuban-activist-dies-on-hunger.html

His hunger strile had nothing to do with Capitalism. It had to do with inhumane treatment within Cuban jails. For all anyone knows--he was a good Communist and a good Cuban that saw injustice and decided to fight against it.

[Valeofruin]

I approve of this thread. In fact I propose all opponents of communism follow this guys example. Global hunger strike in solidarity with Cuban political prisoners!

[manic expression]

His hunger strile had nothing to do with Capitalism. It had to do with inhumane treatment within Cuban jails. For all anyone knows--he was a good Communist and a good Cuban that saw injustice and decided to fight against it.
BS. First, he was a common criminal, a thug, you can see his "good Cuban" rap sheet above. Have fun explaining how a "good Cuban" breaks people's heads open with a machete. Second, Cuban jails are not inhumane, that's a completely baseless claim. See the article below. Third, who profits from this death? Who is falling over themselves to turn this incident into an advantage for their own interests? The imperialists, that's who. So yes, the fact that you posted this death and not the multiple deaths in Guantanamo Bay since 2001 shows that this was hardly a political issue, but is being twisted into something political by imperialist propagandists.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/3667645.stm

A group of prisoners was studying nursing. They all stood to attention as we walked in. One took the opportunity to deliver another speech, saying how prison had enabled him to transform his life.

[snip]

Prison had given her the best gift of her life, she said, as she gazed at her sleeping son.

Outrage! Consternation! Give me a break.

[Drace]

Lol maniac, I think that was a satire. Seemed more like fiction.

And did you read the end of it?


Finally a Spanish journalist said what we were all thinking.
"When might we be able to see where all the other Cuban prisoners live, or visit an actual cell?"
"Soon, I hope", replied the woman from the ministry.
Soon is a long time in Cuba.


Btw, what was the source of the earlier one talking about the guy being a criminal.

[manic expression]

Lol maniac, I think that was a satire. Seemed more like fiction.

And did you read the end of it?
Yes, I have read all of it, multiple times. The article contained genuine interviews with inmates, tours of facilities and more. Just because he never saw a cell doesn't change the information he acquired during his visit. Are you accusing the woman of lying about giving birth in prison? Perhaps her newborn son was just a stand-in given to her by the party...those BBC reporters are so easy to fool! :lol:


Btw, what was the source of the earlier one talking about the guy being a criminal.
I already posted it, it's from the Granma. See the section in bold.

[Bud Struggle]

For a visit to be "real" an interviewer has to visit anywhere he likes any time he likes and be able to interview anyone he likes.

The Nazis also had "show prisons" with well fed Jews planting flowers and singing songs.

As far as him being a "criminal" that may be the case--but he got 3 years for the crime and then in prison that was changed to 36 years. None of this makes any sense to me.

[Drace]

I already posted it, it's from the Granma. See the section in bold.Lol your Grandma isn't the best source of news for Cuban prisons :lol:
LOl I was asking for Granma's source though. I just noticed that its the newspaper for the Communist Party. Reliable?


As far as him being a "criminal" that may be the case--but he got 3 years for the crime and then in prison that was changed to 36 years. None of this makes any sense to me.The 3 year sentence seems to light for me if he did what he did. Changing prison sentences is common isn't it?
And it seems more like that the guy committed suicide. Is there any evidence that he was actually protesting?


The only thing that makes Cuba looks like a dictatorship to me is Fidel being Head of State up until his old age, and then his brother taking power.
His a very nice guy, but still...

[Bud Struggle]

Lol your Grandma isn't the best source of news for Cuban prisons :lol:
LOl I was asking for Granma's source though. I just noticed that its the newspaper for the Communist Party. Reliable? That's the problem--I'm sure it's propaganda just like the Capitalist papers are propaganda. It's probably pretty hard toget to the real truth.


The 3 year sentence seems to light for me if he did what he did. Changing prison sentences is common isn't it?
And it seems more like that the guy committed suicide. Is there any evidence that he was actually protesting? His story has been out ther for some time--I believe they have quotes from him.



The only thing that makes Cuba looks like a dictatorship to me is Fidel being Head of State up until his old age, and then his brother taking power.
His a very nice guy, but still...
How is that different than the Queen of England passing on the crown to her son?

[Drace]

How is that different than the Queen of England passing on the crown to her son? Yes I suppose. Fidel and the revolution is also widely supported by the Cubans. Fidel himself was asked why he was still serving as president when he came to visit the US.
And he said that we practiced a different kind of democracy which allowed citizens to participate.

Considering how Cuban politics works, its a reasonable answer.

As I understand it, the head of state is elected by the National Assembly for a term of 5 years, with no limit on the number of terms. Has Fidel been elected consequently?

[khad]

All this proves is that Western liberals will opportunistically promote any two-bit lumpenprole degenerate incarcerated under a socialist government as a representative of holy and inviolable human rights.

[RGacky3]

How is that different than the Queen of England passing on the crown to her son?

The Queed does'nt hold any real power.


As far as him being a "criminal" that may be the case--but he got 3 years for the crime and then in prison that was changed to 36 years. None of this makes any sense to me.

We don't know the circumstances, we don't know the exact crime, we don't know why it the sentance was continued, but that happens ALL THE TIME in the United States prison system.

I'm not saying he's justified I'm not saying the guy is a dissident and this is nothing more than repressing freedom of speach, I"m saying we don't know.

But Bud, you WERE dismissive when Atenco came up and Oaxaca, so your not being fair.

[manic expression]

Lol your Grandma isn't the best source of news for Cuban prisons :lol:
LOl I was asking for Granma's source though. I just noticed that its the newspaper for the Communist Party. Reliable?
So you're saying they're lying about his criminal record? Do you have any evidence that this might be true? The Granma, with far more access to Cuban records than any other news source, is in a unique position to shed some light on the issue. If you think they're lying, then you've already made up your mind based on an incomplete understanding of the situation and there's no point continuing. If, however, you're willing to engage with the facts, then that's quite another thing. Your choice.

And I never used the Granma for a source on Cuba's prisons. That was the BBC article, please keep the two straight.


The 3 year sentence seems to light for me if he did what he did. Changing prison sentences is common isn't it?
And it seems more like that the guy committed suicide. Is there any evidence that he was actually protesting?
Prison sentences change all the time. People get released on good behavior in the US, and they have their sentences extended if they commit crimes while inside. It's quite common. I'm not a judge, and I didn't see the case presented, so it's not up for me to decide if 3 years was "enough" or not.

[Bud Struggle]

But Bud, you WERE dismissive when Atenco came up and Oaxaca, so your not being fair.

To a point--I have to admit I was a lot more ignorant of those peoples and their struggles at the time. RevLeft has done a lot to awaken my sensaiilities on such things.


The Queen does'nt hold any real power. OK. Maybe more like Kim Il Jong getting power from his dad. :)

[Kingpin]

The Granma, once again, brings unparalleled clarity to the issue:

En las últimas horas, sin embargo, algunas agencias de prensa y gobiernos se han apresurado en condenar a Cuba por la muerte en prisión, el pasado 23 de febrero, del cubano Orlando Zapata Tamayo. Toda muerte es dolorosa y lamentable. Pero el eco mediático se tiñe esta vez de entusiasmo: al fin —parecen decir—, aparece un "héroe". Por ello se impone explicar brevemente, sin calificativos innecesarios, quién fue Zapata Tamayo. Pese a todos los maquillajes, se trata de un preso común que inició su actividad delictiva en 1988. Procesado por los delitos de "violación de domicilio" (1993), "lesiones menos graves" (2000), "estafa" (2000), "lesiones y tenencia de arma blanca" (2000: heridas y fractura lineal de cráneo al ciudadano Leonardo Simón, con el empleo de un machete), "alteración del orden" y "desórdenes públicos" (2002), entre otras causas en nada vinculadas a la política, fue liberado bajo fianza el 9 de marzo del 2003 y volvió a delinquir el 20 del propio mes. Dados sus antecedentes y condición penal, fue condenado esta vez a 3 años de cárcel, pero la sentencia inicial se amplió de forma considerable en los años siguientes por su conducta agresiva en prisión.

http://www.granma.cu/espanol/2010/febrero/sabado27/Para-quien.html

Emphasis mine. Yeah, cracking someone's skull open with a machete is the calling card of every "political prisoner", isn't it? Give me a break. The fact that "political prisoner" is being thrown around is absurd. The actual political opponents of the Cuban Revolution are quite free, and that's why they're now able to attempt an opportunistic twisting of facts in order to cherish a few drops of spotlight. If you want to talk about political rights in Cuba, that's fine, but don't drag stuff like this into that issue, it's just cheap.

This "political prisoner" has been officially exposed. On the path towards socialism this man inflicted physical harm on other workers with a machete, caused great distress in the community, drew too much attention to the capitalist plot to enslave the workers in a resort orchestrated by terrorists and right wing dictators, and to top it all off, he has the nerve to call himself "a political prisoner"?


I'm surprised he wasn't dealt with sooner. He clearly shown his disregard for human life, and the cause of the people.

He was imprisoned to think about what he did, as he should have been. He starved himself.


GG cappies. YOU LOSE.

[Dimentio]

They could have force-fed him, but that would probably also be seen as a violation of his human rights.

Why was he arrested in the beginning? If it was because of his opinions, then it is unacceptable. If it was because of financial connections to powers hostile to Cuba, then I could understand it more.

[Kingpin]

They could have force-fed him, but that would probably also be seen as a violation of his human rights.

Why was he arrested in the beginning? If it was because of his opinions, then it is unacceptable. If it was because of financial connections to powers hostile to Cuba, then I could understand it more.

The article quoted above basically says that he was initially arrested for causing physical injuries, illegally possessing a knife, and causing wounds and linear skull fractures to the face with a machete.

He was released on bail and re-offended less than 2 weeks after release. Because of his background and criminal status, he was then sentenced to 3 years, a sentence that was increased due to his aggressive behavior in prison.


In short, he is a terrorist.

[Bud Struggle]

The article quoted above basically says that he was initially arrested for causing physical injuries, illegally possessing a knife, and causing wounds and linear skull fractures to the face with a machete.

He was released on bail and re-offended less than 2 weeks after release. Because of his background and criminal status, he was then sentenced to 3 years, a sentence that was increased due to his aggressive behavior in prison.

That's not where the problem lies. I'm sure he was a criminal and the 3 years are his just deserts.

I think things become an issue when he subsequently was given 36 years in jail for being "disrespectful" by protesting the conditions in the prison. That's where he becomes a prisoner of conscience.

[Comrade Anarchist]

Totalitarianism makes life so much better. I dont support western countries but its funny that all leftists ***** about how western nations are fascist and are putting their people down. It is kinda a disrespect to all cubans and north koreans and such who are starving and are suffering from an infrastructure that hasn't been updated for like 50 years, when you ***** about how the fascist U.S. is killing free speech and are killing cubans with its embargo, and yet you still defend nations that do so much worst like cuba where there is no free speech.

[manic expression]

like cuba where there is no free speech.
:lol: I've already said what needs to be said in this thread, but this just cries out for a response. It truly amazes me how oblivious people can be when facts are sitting right in front of their faces. In the 8th response to this thread, BudStruggle posted this link:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-cuba25-2010feb25,0,1560294.story

If you click on the above, you will find a huge picture of Oswaldo Paya, a prominent anti-government dissident in Cuba who is not locked up, who is allowed to speak his mind. Remember that next time you try to badmouth something you're unwilling and/or unable to understand.

[Comrade Anarchist]

:lol: I've already said what needs to be said in this thread, but this just cries out for a response. It truly amazes me how oblivious people can be when facts are sitting right in front of their faces. In the 8th response to this thread, BudStruggle posted this link:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-cuba25-2010feb25,0,1560294.story

If you click on the above, you will find a huge picture of Oswaldo Paya, a prominent anti-government dissident in Cuba who is not locked up, who is allowed to speak his mind. Remember that next time you try to badmouth something you're unwilling and/or unable to understand.

Umm the dude was forced to do hard labor. Once out of that he created an organization that tried to run for the national assembly and when trying to register his candidacy he was detained and missed the deadline to register. He tried to get his candidacy recognized so he got signatures and turned them in and they were turned away. He then tried to change the constitution, which needs 10000 signatures and when he went to try to get the changes with over 11000 signatures he was ignored. So ya the dude isn't imprisoned but he has been and he has been temporarily detained or ignored each time he tries to bring up an issue to the government. Sounds like freedom to me if i were deaf, dumb, and blind.

[Dimentio]

That's not where the problem lies. I'm sure he was a criminal and the 3 years are his just deserts.

I think things become an issue when he subsequently was given 36 years in jail for being "disrespectful" by protesting the conditions in the prison. That's where he becomes a prisoner of conscience.

Yes, basically. But its not political conscience in that case. Its just some sort of weird arbitrary court system.

Why did he beat someone in the skull with a machete by the way?