Cuba denounces serious violations against Gerardo Hernández
Cuban Five prisoner Gerardo Hernández is undergoing the most severe punishment possible in his prison in Lompoc, California, says US attorney Leonard Weinglass. He is confined to a very small cell in which one can walk only three steps, with no windows and only a slot in the metal door through which food is passed. He wears just underpants and a T shirt. No shoes. No reading material or printed material is allowed. He cannot tell when it is day or night.
(PRWEB) March 19, 2003
After frequent requests were made to Assistant United States Attorney Caroline Heck Miller in Florida, on March 16th US attorney Leonard Weinglass was able to gain permission to visit Gerardo Hernández - a visit that already had been planned back in February before all of the Cuban Five were placed in solitary confinement.
According to Weinglass, Gerardo is undergoing the most severe punishment in his prison in Lompoc, California, where he is confined to what is known as "the Box" within the Special Housing Unit - a hole within the "Hole". He has been under this regimen since February 28th when he was transferred to solitary without any reason given.
He is confined to a very small cell in which one can walk only three steps, with no windows and only a slot in the metal door through which food is passed. The bars in front are covered with a metal mesh screen through which it is almost impossible to see anything and remain close 24 hours a day.
There is a toilet and a concrete bed with a thin pad in the cell. His clothes were taken from him and he wears just underpants and a T-shirt. No shoes.
He cannot tell when it is day or night. The lights in his cell are the only ones that remain switched on 24 hours a day and the constant cries of other prisoners, many of whom suffer mental health problems, prevent him from sleeping.
No reading material or printed material is allowed. Signs are posted in front of his cell, which states that no one is to have contact with him. He is the only inmate in this segregation regime who is not allowed to use the telephone.
Gerardo has unsuccessfully attempted to register a complaint under the prison's established procedures but has been told that there are no complaint forms available.
On March 2nd he filed an informal complaint, as the correct form had not been supplied to him. He hasn't received a response.
On March 11th the prison authorities brought him a letter from JoaquÃn Méndez, one of the defense attorneys, but they took it away before he could read it. On March 14th he was told that he would be given his legal mail. However, to date he has received nothing - not even correspondence from his attorneys.
The treatment that is currently being given to Gerardo, Ramón, Antonio, Fernando and René is completely illegal and severely obstructs their defense rights when they and their attorneys need to prepare the appeal that is to be presented not later than April 7th. This cruel, unusual, discriminatory and completely unjustifiable treatment constitutes a flagrant case of torture that has to be strongly and urgently denounced.
Antiterrorism Working Group
National Parliament
