Political Prisoner Yosvany Garcia Caso's Health Deteriorates After Hunger Strike

Yosvany Garcia Caso, a political prisoner in Cuba, is reportedly in critical condition after 29 days of a hunger strike. His wife, Mailin Rodriguez Sanchez, communicated with CubaNet, stating that he is extremely weak and can barely speak.

Garcia Caso was transferred to the Hospital Clinico Quirurgico Lucia lniguez Landin in Holguin, where he is currently isolated in a cubicle. During her visit, Rodriguez Sanchez spoke with three doctors, including the hospital director, who described the severity of his condition.

Despite her pleas for him to end his hunger strike, Garcia Caso remains resolute, insisting he will not abandon his protest. He expressed his love for his family and requested that they continue to fight for his freedom rather than for him to end the hunger strike.

At 37 years old, he is serving a 15-year prison sentence after being convicted of sedition for participating in the protests on July 11, 2021, known as 11J. His sentence is among the longest given to the over one thousand individuals prosecuted for their involvement in those protests.

Over the past four years, Garcia Caso has reportedly faced physical abuse in prison, been subjected to punitive confinement, and denied medical care as retaliation for his outspoken opposition to the regime.

Rodriguez Sanchez also shared that they have three children, aged 7, 9, and 17, who are unaware of the full situation except for their eldest daughter. Following his hospitalization, the U.S. Embassy in Havana issued a statement condemning the treatment of political prisoners in Cuba, labeling the situation concerning Garcia Caso as alarming.

They expressed solidarity with the calls for the release of all political prisoners. In his wife's account, she mentioned that she had requested religious assistance for her husband, which had yet to be granted, highlighting the urgent need for support as his health deteriorates.

The emotional toll on his family is significant, with Rodriguez Sanchez stating that they need him alive and describing their anguish over his unjust imprisonment. Amidst this dire situation, Garcia Caso's hunger strike serves as a stark protest against the ongoing human rights violations faced by political dissidents in Cuba.