On Sunday, the Cuban political prisoner Luis Barrios Diaz passed away at the La Covadonga hospital in Havana due to neglect by the prison authorities. The Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH) reported that Barrios Díaz, who was 37 years old, began experiencing respiratory issues in August and was admitted to the infirmary of prison 1580 in San Miguel del Padrón, Havana. Despite advice from doctors for him to remain hospitalized, the prison authorities decided to return him to prison due to a 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 that democratic governments and the European Union issue statements regarding the serious situation of political prisoners in Cuba, emphasizing the responsibility of the state to provide adequate medical services to prisoners.

Barrios Díaz had been sentenced to nine years in prison for participating in the historic protests of July 11, 2021. His death highlights the ongoing human rights abuses in Cuba and raises concerns about the treatment of political prisoners on the island nation.