On Sunday, the Cuban political prisoner Luis Barrios Diaz passed away at the La Covadonga hospital in Havana due to negligence by the prison authorities, according to a report by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH). The NGO, located in Madrid, stated that Barrios Díaz, aged 37, began experiencing respiratory issues in August and was admitted to the infirmary of prison 1580 in San Miguel del Padrón, Havana. Despite doctor’s advisement for him to stay hospitalized, the prison authorities decided to return him to prison due to lack of fuel for constant surveillance.

The OCDH called for the immediate release of all political prisoners and pointed out the deteriorating health of other political prisoners such as Félix Navarro and José Daniel Ferrer. The organization also requested for the statement of democratic governments and the European Union regarding the serious situation of political prisoners in Cuba, emphasizing the responsibility of the state to provide adequate medical services to prisoners.

Barrios Díaz was previously sentenced to nine years in prison for participating in the historic protests of July 11, 2021. His death has raised concerns about human rights violations in Cuba and calls for greater international pressure on the regime to respect basic freedoms and improve conditions for political prisoners.