October 1, 2021 · Cuba
Testimonies of Cubans Tortured for Participating in the Massive July 11 Protests Come to Light
Source: https://www.periodicocubano.com/testimonios-de-cubanos-torturados-por-participar-en-las-protestas-masivas-del-11j/
Cubans detained for participating in the massive protests of July 11 shared their experiences with The Washington Post regarding the physical and psychological torture inflicted on them by agents of the Castro regime's repressive apparatus.
One such testimony comes from 20-year-old Michel Parra, a healthcare worker who, for the first time, decided to join a demonstration against the communist regime in the city of Matanzas.
Parra and his sister were arrested by men dressed in civilian clothing and taken to an interrogation room, where they were repeatedly called “worms” and threatened with being shot.
“They kicked me all over my body. They didn't stop. They beat my hands and knees with a baton. It felt like an eternity to me, even though it was probably only 60 seconds,” Parra added, noting that he felt pain for 20 straight days after the beating.
The U.S. outlet also shared one of the most widely reported cases of torture from independent media: the punishment inflicted on activist María Cristina Garrido, currently held at the Guatao women's prison in Havana.
Michel Valladares, the activist's husband, said she was thrown into a punishment cell filled with excrement for refusing to shout “Long live Fidel!”. In addition, a soldier beat her so hard that she urinated on herself.
María Cristina and her sister Angélica, who is also detained, face charges of “assault,” “contempt,” “disobedience,” “public disorder,” and “leading a demonstration.”
The Washington Post also published the testimony of journalist Orelvys Cabrera, who was forced to undress after being arrested while covering the protests taking place in dozens of cities across the country.
The journalist was tortured for several hours with “glorious” tales of the communist regime and of Fidel Castro. He was then locked in a cell with seven other inmates, where he slept on the floor for more than 30 days.
“They fed us rice with dirt in it and soup with grease. Breakfast was just a slice of bread,” Cabrera recounted. He is now under house arrest after paying a $40 bail, equivalent to an average monthly salary in Cuba.
Human Rights Watch released a report this Tuesday on the repressive strategy used by the Cuban government against those who took part in the social uprising.
Cubalex, a human-rights organization on the island, recently reported that 566 peaceful demonstrators remain in detention and could face summary trials.