URGENT APPEAL

August 24, 2000

Physically Deteriorated, Cuban Prisoner of Conscience, Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet, Fears for his Life at a Maximum Security Prison. All his correspondence has been intercepted.

On Monday August 14, 2000, accompanied by three family members, Elsa Morejón was able to physically see her husband, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet at the maximum-security prison "Cuba Sí" in Holguin province after traveling 768 km. from Havana. Prevented by Cuban authorities from visiting her husband for three months, Morejón found him physically deteriorated and in a high state of anxiety.

The human rights activist denounced to his family that due to the repressive hostile environment he finds himself in he fears for his life and highly distrusts the medical personnel at the prison facility. In addition Dr. Biscet confirmed that all mail he had sent from prison had been intercepted since none had reached its destiny to family and friends in Havana.

On June 7th Dr. Biscet declared himself on a 40 day fast at "Cuba Si" prison honoring a historical fast he successfully promoted a year ago in which hundreds of peaceful human rights activists in the Island united with Cuban exiles abroad demanding freedom for all political prisoners and human rights for Cuba. Consequently, prison authorities denied him access to his Bible and family visits and from June 7 until July 19, 2000, Dr. Biscet was punished in an isolation cell he described to his family as a torture: dark, no running water, where he was fed such a deficient diet that he lost 20 pounds.

Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet Gonzalez, a Cuban Citizen of African Ancestry, is a leader in the peaceful Cuban opposition movement and a devout Christian, follower of Ghandi and Martin Luther King, and presides the Lawton Foundation for Human Rights, a humanitarian organization that promotes the defense of all human rights, particularly the right to life, through nonviolent means (considered illegal by the communist Cuban authorities.) On February 25, 2000, Dr. Biscet was tried as a common criminal, sentenced to three years in prison, and transferred from Havana to "Cuba Sí " prison, located at the eastern end of the Island.

For his struggle, Dr. Biscet has been arbitrarily detained 26 times in 18 months, expelled on February 1998 from the Cuban National Health System and, along with his family, evicted from his home, depending on the charity of friends to survive. This Cuban physician has suffered what all those who oppose this regime face physically and psychologically: beatings, threats, humiliations, blackmail, intimidating interrogatories and arbitrary incarcerations in cells along with insane individuals and common criminals. We make the Cuban government responsible for the physical and mental well-being of human rights activist, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet. We urgently ask all dignitaries of democratic nations, human rights, and health organizations, the international press and all men and women of good will to denounce the unjust sanctions, incarceration, and physical and mental torture of this Cuban physician, whose only crime is to honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in his own country. Please send telegrams/telexes/ faxes/ express/ airmail letters in Spanish or in your own language to Cuban officials inside Cuba, and representatives of Cuba accredited in your country.

Elsa Morejón's recorded testimony available. (Spanish)
Support Committee for the Lawton Foundation, U.S.A.

Click here to e-mail the Lawton Foundation directly


URGENT UPDATE

January 3, 2004

IN DANGER LIFE OF INCARCERATED CUBAN PHYSICIAN DR. OSCAR E. BISCET
Confined to a "dungeon" since November 2003

January 3, 2004

"My husband is unrecognizable since I last saw him four months ago; he is so thin, pale and ill looking", declared Elsa Morejon, wife of the Cuban civic leader, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet Gonzalez, " these punishments are destroying him and if he continues where he is he will die.

Cuban prisoner of conscience, Dr. Oscar E. Biscet Gonzalez, who is serving a 25 year prison sentence, continues confined with a common criminal in a cell with no windows or light which he described as a "dungeon", for refusing to stand up to acknowledge the presence of prison guards and officials during the recount of prisoners. His punishment prohibits family visits, food supplies, toiletries, clothing, receiving or sending any correspondence, and going out in the sun.

Dr. Biscet informed his wife that all he asks is that his status as a political prisoner be respected by prison authorities who force him to follow disciplinary measures imposed upon common prisoners. He reiterated to his family that "the punishments imposed upon me are of a psychological nature and I am doing all in my power to endure them. The Prison Director at Prison Kilo 8 informed Elsa Morejon that her husband "has no manners" since when he was forced by guards to stand during the prisoners' recount he cried out loud "down with the dictatorship".

Elsa Morejon, her brother and mother-in-law Hilda Gonzalez, traveled 80 kilometers from Havana to Kilo 8 Prison in the province of Pinar del Rio and were able to see Dr. Biscet for 15 minutes after holding a long argument with high prison officials, who reminded them Dr. Biscet is punished and cannot receive any visits. This Cuban physician has only been permitted one family visit during the eight months he's been imprisoned in the province of Pinar del Rio.

Dr. Biscet previously served 3 years in prison and was released October 31, 2002, only to be re-arrested on December 6, 2002 as he was to meet with human rights activists. On April 7, 2003 he was tried summarily during a Cuban government crackdown, along with 75 other activists and independent journalists and was sentenced to 25 years for "serving as a mercenary to a foreign state."

Dr. Biscet, a 42 year old black physician, follower of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, has been wearing only his underwear as he deems it unacceptable to wear a common prisoner's uniform because he considers himself innocent of the charges for which he was sentenced. He suffers from severe hypertension and gum infection.

Elsa Morejon makes the Cuban government responsible for the physical and mental well-being of her husband and urgently appeals to heads of states, leaders of political, civic, religious and professional organizations, the press, and all men and women of good will worldwide to demand before the Cuban government the unconditional and immediate freedom of Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet and all those prisoners whose only crime is to honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in their own country.

Elsa Morejon Hernandez / Address: Acosta 464 entre 8va y 9na, Lawton, Municipio 10 de Octubre, La Habana, Cuba. Testimony by Elsa Morejon provided via telephone from Cuba. Recorded, transcribed and translated. Coalition of Cuban-American Women/LAIDA CARRO

Click here to e-mail Laida Carro directly

Click here to directly go to Dr. Biscet's Official Web Page in the U.S.


CUBAN GOVERNMENT - ADDRESSES, FAXES

"Cuba Si" Prison in Holguín - 011-5324-424342 (direct from the U.S.)
Dept. of Prisons in Holguín Province - 011-5324-425171

Inspector of Prisons of the CUBAN MISSION TO THE U.N.
Attorney General's Office Fax: 212-661-9554
Sr. Eliecer Pérez Tel: 212-687-0511
Telephone: 011-53 7 333164
Fax: 011-53 7 570795
011-53 7 669485
Telex: 011-53 7 511456

Attorney General
Dr. Juan Escalona Reguera
Address: Fiscal General de La República
Fiscalía General de la República
San Rafael No. 3, La Habana, Cuba

Telegrams: Sr. Fiscal General, Habana, Cuba
Telexes: 511456 fisge
Faxes: 011-53-7-66-94-85 & 011-53-7-33-31-64

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sr. Pérez Roque
Address: Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Calzada No. 360, Vedado, La Habana, Cuba

Telegrams: Sr. Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Habana, Cuba
Telexes: 511122 / 511464 / 512950
Faxes: 011-53-7-33-3085, 011-53-7-33-3460 & 011-53-7-33-5261 (direct from the U.S.)

Interior Secretary
Director of Prisons
General Abelardo Colomé Ibarra
Ministry of the Interior (MININT)
Address: Ministerio del Interior
Dirección de Cárceles y Prisiones
Plaza de La Revolución, La Habana, Cuba

Ministerio del Interior
Telegrams: Sr. Ministro de Interior, Habana,Cuba
Plaza de La Revolución
Telephone: 011-53-7-30-1566 La Habana, Cuba
Fax: 011-53-7-33-5261 (direct from the U.S.)
Tel: 011-53-7-301566

Faxes:

Raúl Castro (Armed Forces) 011-53-7-333085
Carlos Amat (Secretary of Justice) 011-53-7-333038
Popular Power Assembly 011-53-7-330311
Secr. of Foreign Affairs 011-53-7-333460

Any phone or fax to Havana from the U.S. directly dial: 011+ 53 +7+ Number


Let us not forget that Dr. Biscet is a Proud Cuban Citizen of African Ancestry

From the Book 'JOSE MARTI'S THOUGHTS', the Ilustrious Apostle of Our Freedom and Cuban Patriot, Comes This, His Thought on Socialism:

"Socialist ideology, like so many others, has two main dangers. One stems from confused and incomplete readings of foreign texts, and the other from the arrogance and hidden rage of those who, in order to climb up in the world, pretend to be frantic defenders of the helpless so as to have shoulders on which to stand."
Jose Marti