Cuba Archive - Case 9654

Case ID: 9654

Title: Dr.

First name: José Rafael

Last name: Hernández Carracedo

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: Pepe

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: 42

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:18 / Month:9 / Year:1978

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: Calle 11 #909 entre 6 y 8, Vedado

Last known city: La Habana

Last known province-TOD: La Habana

Last known province current: Ciudad de La Habana

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Combinado del Este prison

Location of death - city: La Habana

Location of death province - at TOD: La Habana

Location of death province - current: Ciudad de La Habana

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: Year:1978

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Prison authorities

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

A neurosurgeon and former political prisoner who had served eight years in jail (1960-68) for attempting to leave the country (had been captured in international waters by Cuban Border Guard).  In preparation for the 1978 Youth Festival in Cuba, the government placed former political prisoners in preventive detention and he was put away with common prisoners at Havana's Combinado del Este prison.  One day, the family was told he had been killed by another prisoner during a prisoner melee. They were able to see the body before the government-run funeral and he had severe head trauma.  In fact, it was revealed to the family that he had been murdered by prison guards with the butt of their rifles.  He left a widow and three children, ages 18, 16 and 14.
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Un neurocirujano y ex preso político que había cumplido ocho años de cárcel (1960-68) por intentar salir del país (había sido capturado en aguas internacionales por la Guardia Fronteriza de Cuba). En preparación para el Festival de la Juventud de 1978 en Cuba, el gobierno colocó a ex presos políticos en prisión preventiva y fue enviado a prisión con presos comunes en la prisión Combinado del Este de La Habana. Un día, le dijeron a la familia que había sido asesinado por otro prisionero durante una pelea entre prisioneros. Pudieron ver el cuerpo antes del funeral dirigido por el gobierno y tenía un traumatismo craneoencefálico severo. De hecho, se reveló a la familia que los guardias de la prisión lo habían asesinado con la culata de sus rifles. Dejó viuda y tres hijos, de 18, 16 y 14 años.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Extrajudicial killing

Occupations: - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

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 - José Rafael Hernández Carracedo