Havana/The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) sent an official request to the Cuban Government demanding urgent information on the situation of Jonathan Muir Burgosthe 16-year-old adolescent who remains deprived of liberty after having participated in the protests on March 13 in Morón, Ciego de Ávila.
The petition, addressed yesterday Thursday to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, grants a period of five days for the State to respond to the conditions of Jonathan Muir’s detention, his state of health and the measures adopted to guarantee his integrity.
The IACHR clarifies that this requirement does not yet imply a decision on granting said measures, but highlights the urgency of verifying the adolescent’s situation. The request has been made following a request for precautionary measures presented by the organization Cuba Decide (Defensa CD).
“Jonathan’s case stopped being an isolated complaint and became under formal international observation,” declared to Martí News Juan Carlos Vargas, executive director of Cuba Decide. “The regime now has to respond in a very short period of time. What is happening with a minor who is imprisoned, incommunicado and at risk?” he added.
The regime now has to respond in a very short period of time. What is happening with a minor who is imprisoned, incommunicado and at risk?
In its request, the IACHR asks the Cuban authorities for clarifications on three key aspects: the official position regarding the request for international protection; a detailed report on the conditions of detention, including access to medical care – as Jonathan suffers from skin conditions and does not receive care for this in prison, according to their relatives–; and a risk assessment: whether the competent authorities have analyzed the danger to the minor and what measures have been taken to ensure their safety.
Jonathan David Muir Burgos was accused of the crime of sabotage, an accusation that could cost him at least seven years in prison. The authorities ordered his transfer to the Canaleta prison, a prison that in February was the scene of a riot suppressed with violence by the forces of the regime, after a boy committed suicide inside after complaining about the poor food in the prison.
Whether the dictatorship responds or not, Jonathan remains inside a maximum security prison. Time is running against you
The teenager is one of minor cases detained in Cuba in the context of the anti-government protests that have arisen since last March 6, as a result of the deterioration of the already serious energy situation. Jonathan Muir is in a maximum security prison in conditions that are not officially clarified. Family members and civil organizations have reported psychological pressure against the young man and mistreatment in his confinement conditions.
“Whether the dictatorship responds or not, Jonathan is still inside a maximum security prison. Time is against him,” Vargas warned. Martí News. “This request is not just another procedure, it is an urgent tool to prevent the situation from escalating to something irreparable.”
