Cuba Archive - Case 755

Case ID: 755

Title: N/A

First name: Yoelvis

Last name: Delgado Albelo

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: 25

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:27 / Month:1 / Year:1986

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:21 / Month:4 / Year:2011

Citizenship: N/A

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: N/A

Last known province-TOD: Guantánamo

Last known province current: Guantánamo

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Kilo 8 Prison

Location of death - city: N/A

Location of death province - at TOD: Camagüey

Location of death province - current: Camagüey

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: Life in prison

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: Kilo 8 prison, Camaguey

How long imprisoned/detained: Over 4 years, since 2006.

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

The former soldier of the Ministry of Interior had been sentenced to life in prison at age 20 for taking arms in an attempt to flee the country with several fellow soldiers on December 19, 2006. At the time, he was doing his obligatory military service at El Manguito Prison in Santiago de Cuba.  
Abelo was serving his sentence in a strict prison regime and had repeatedly denounced abuses in the treatment of prisoners. He was held in a totally dark cell, without access to potable water, and in terrible conditions. In prison, he consistently denounced the abuses and torture to which the prisoners were subjected and he was sent to punishment cells on many occasions. Fellow prisoners reported he had grown incapable of facing further ill treatment and continued imprisonment.
His body was found hanging in his cell the night of April 21st 2011. On the morning of his death, he had told his mother that he had attempted suicide several days earlier. She then requested from authorities medical attention for him, but her request had apparently been ignored. He was buried the following day at the Songo La Maya cemetery of Santiago de Cuba, where many of his relatives lived. 
In a November 2010 telephone interview from prison with Radio Martí, Albelo had reported that he had been forced to enter the military despite his repeated verbal statements opposing the Cuban dictatorial regime. He related how, during his military service, recruits were subjected to awful conditions, living for days without hygiene, having to work while sick, serving guard for 8 straight days without a bath, pressuring him to enter the Communist Youth, etc. 
He had been sentenced on September 21, 2007 to life in prison by the Military Unit of the Supreme Popular Tribunal for insubordination, attempted illegal exit from the national territory, desertion, infractions in his service as a guard, aiding prisoners to escape,  two counts of murder,  four counts of forced retention, robbery with force, possession of firearms, theft of military property, disrespect to authorities and a series of other charges.
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El ex soldado del Ministerio del Interior había sido condenado a cadena perpetua a los 20 años de edad por insubordinación, intento de salida ilegal del territorio nacional, deserción, falta de respeto a las autoridades y otros cargos.
Cumplía su condena en un estricto régimen penitenciario y había denunciado repetidamente abusos y torturas en el trato de los presos. A menudo lo enviaban a celda de castigo. Sus compañeros de prisión informaron que se había vuelto incapaz de enfrentar más malos tratos y continuar encarcelado. Encontraron su cuerpo colgado en su celda la noche del 21 de abril de 2011. Ese mismo día, le había dicho a su madre que había intentado suicidarse varios días antes. Ella había solicitado a las autoridades de la prisión atención médica para su hijo, pero no le habían hecho caso.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Suicide/Alleged Suicide

Occupations: - Military Specific Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Armed Forces: mandatory military service - Attempting exit

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Yoelvis Delgado Albelo