Cuba Archive - Case 11963

Case ID: 11963

Title: political prisoner

First name: Ernesto

Last name: Brieva Sempé

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: 52

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Year:1974

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:13 / Month:5 / Year:2026

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: N/A

Last known province-TOD: Ciudad de La Habana

Last known province current: N/A

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Combinado del Este high-security prison in Havana

Location of death - city: La Habana

Location of death province - at TOD: La Habana

Location of death province - current: N/A

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: 833 (11J´s 14 protesters)

Sentence details: Brieva Sampé was serving a five-year sentence of correctional labor without incarceration for sedition—handed down in January 2023—alth

Arrest or detention at time of death: N/A

Date of arrest: Year:2021

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: Combinado del Este high-security prison in Havana

How long imprisoned/detained: Around 5 years.

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Prison authorities

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Political prisoner who died in custody. The official cause of his death was "multiple organ failure." Brieva, a diabetic with renal problems, was reportedly in a severe state of malnutrition. He was serving a five-year sentence of non-custodial correctional labor for sedition, handed down in January 2023 for participating in countrywide protests of July 11, 2021 (11J). He had been tried alongside 14 other demonstrators from Havana’s Diez de Octubre municipality facing lengthy prison sentences for assault, contempt, public disorder, and incitement to commit a crime. Initially, Brieva was sentenced to five years of correctional labor without incarceration; however, this was revoked for "continuing to publicly express his critical stance toward the system," and he was transferred to a more severe regime at the Combinado del Este in Havana. His funeral took place under heavy surveillance by State Security agents.

...

Preso político detenido tras las masivas protestas del 11 de julio de 2021, murió bajo custodia del Estado en la madrugada del pasado 13 de mayo en la prisión de alta seguridad del Combinado del Este, en La Habana. Diabético con problemas renales, murió en estado severo de desnutrición. Hasta el momento no ha sido posible verificar la causa oficial de su muerte. Fue enjuiciado junto a otros 14 manifestantes que salieron a la calle en el municipio habanero de Diez de Octubre en las protestas del 11J. Cumplía una condena de cinco años de trabajo correccional sin internamiento por sedición –dictada en enero de 2023–, aunque originalmente la Fiscalía solicitó 12 años de prisión. Aunque la sanción  había sido revocada, cumplía prisión en el Combinado del Este por continuar su postura crítica al sistema. Se denunció que el funeral transcurrió bajo fuerte vigilancia de agentes de la Seguridad del Estado.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Reported: Highly likely / Highly reliable source(s)

Cause of Death: - Medical condition/Denial of medical care

Occupations: N/A

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Prisoner / Detainee: Political cause

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Ernesto Brieva Sempé