URGENT APPEAL
August 24, 2000
URGENT APPEAL
August 24, 2000
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.
Elsa Morejón's recorded testimony available. (Spanish)
Click here to e-mail the Lawton Foundation directly
January 3, 2004 IN DANGER LIFE OF INCARCERATED CUBAN PHYSICIAN DR. OSCAR E. BISCET
"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 directly go to Dr. Biscet's Official Web Page in the U.S.
"Cuba Si" Prison in Holguín - 011-5324-424342 (direct from the U.S.)
Inspector of Prisons of the CUBAN MISSION TO THE U.N.
Attorney General
Telegrams: Sr. Fiscal General, Habana, Cuba
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Telegrams: Sr. Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Habana, Cuba
Interior Secretary Ministerio del Interior
Faxes:
Raúl Castro (Armed Forces) 011-53-7-333085
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."
Support Committee for the Lawton Foundation, U.S.A.
URGENT UPDATE
Confined to a "dungeon" since November 2003
CUBAN GOVERNMENT - ADDRESSES, FAXES
Dept. of Prisons in Holguín Province - 011-5324-425171
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
Dr. Juan Escalona Reguera
Address: Fiscal General de La República
Fiscalía General de la República
San Rafael No. 3, La Habana, Cuba
Telexes: 511456 fisge
Faxes: 011-53-7-66-94-85 & 011-53-7-33-31-64
Sr. Pérez Roque
Address: Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Calzada No. 360, Vedado, La 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.)
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
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
Carlos Amat (Secretary of Justice) 011-53-7-333038
Popular Power Assembly 011-53-7-330311
Secr. of Foreign Affairs 011-53-7-333460
Jose Marti