Cuban Prisoner of Conscience Savagely Beaten

(ANS) – Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports that a Cuban political prisoner was savagely beaten and tortured by prison guards earlier this week after requesting to see letters and cards of solidarity that had been sent to him from around the world. CSW said that after being thrown to the floor of the prison, kicked and beaten, Jorge Luis Garcia Perez, also called Antúnez, who has been in prison for 14 years and is recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience, had both of his arms shackled and then pulled in opposite directions, resulting in bleeding from the neck and sustained difficulties in breathing. The attack took place during a visit by relatives, including his sister, Berta Antúnez Pernet, who said that she was also beaten on the back and neck as she tried to intervene physically to stop the beating. Two children aged two and nine were also present and the older child was struck on the back by a prison guard. Jorge Luis had requested that the prison officials give letters and cards that he had received from around the world to his sister. At the end of the visit the official in charge stated that he would not give her the letters and cards. According to Berta Antúnez, the attack began when Jorge Luis questioned the official’s actions and said he would not remain silent about such injustice.