A report by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) claims to have clear indications that Cuban government agents were responsible for the deaths of Cuban dissidents Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas and Harold Cepero Escalantewhich occurred on a highway in Cuba in July 2012.
“The IACHR identified serious and sufficient evidence to conclude that state agents participated in the deaths of Payá and Cepero. In particular, it took into account the testimony of Ángel Carromero,” says a press release from the entity attached to the Organization of American States. (OAS).
Oswaldo Payá was the leader of the opposition Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) and Harol Cepero headed the organization’s youth branch. Both died in a traffic incident on July 22, 2012 on the outskirts of Bayamo (about 740 kilometers from Havana).
The car in which Payá and Cepero were traveling were also accompanied by the Spaniard Ángel Carromero and the Swede Aron Modig. Carromero was driving the car and was sentenced to four years in prison for manslaughter, and released shortly thereafter. Modig refused to testify at the trial.
“The State did not present allegations or denied these arguments,” said the IACHR in reference to your report of 28 pages published this Monday.
In a review of the report, the IACHR pointed out “the lack of expertise or assessment of the statements of the survivors and that the authorities took an immediate official position, without first having carried out any investigative procedure.”
Payá’s family has lived in exile in Miami since June 2013. His daughter, Rosa María Payá, founded the Cuba Decide movement, which calls for a plebiscite in Cuba, and has called in several international instances for an independent investigation to clarify the death of the two opponents.
Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and activate notifications, or follow us on social networks: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
