Luis Milán Fernández (born 21 February 1970) is a Cuban physician from Santiago de Cuba. In 2001, he and his wife, a dentist named Lisandra Lafitta Hernández, signed "Manifiesto 2001", which called for basic freedoms to be respected in Cuba.[1]
Luis Milán Fernández | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 21, 1970 |
| Nationality | Cuban |
| Occupation | Physician |
| Known for | imprisonment in Black Spring |
| Spouse | Lisandra Lafitta Hernández |
He was one of 75 dissidents arrested in 2003 as part of the crackdown known as the Black Spring. He was sentenced to thirteen years in prison, and Amnesty International recognized him as prisoner of conscience.[2]
In 2005, Milán was transferred to a psychiatric ward despite having no reported psychological problems. According to Lafitta, he was confined with two or three mental patients, one of whom cut his own ear off during their confinement.[3] In June 2007, the Internet news agency BosNewsLife reported that Milán's health was deteriorating as a result of his confinement.[1]
In July 2010, tripartite negotiations between Cuban President Raúl Castro, Roman Catholic bishop Jaime Ortega, and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos resulted in pardons being granted to the remaining 52 Black Spring prisoners on the condition that they go into exile in Spain. Milán was released from prison the following week, and he and his family departed for Spain.[3] They resettled in Málaga, where Milán said that he would try to continue working as a physician.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b "Dr. Luis Milan Fernandez abused in prison; health deteriorates". Havana Journal. 28 June 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ "Cuba: One year too many: prisoners of conscience from the March 2003 crackdown". Amnesty International. 16 March 2004. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Case Information". Committee on Human Rights of the National Academy of Sciences. 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- ^ "One of the dissidents as "very good" to exercise the profession in Malaga who studied at home" (in Spanish). 20minutos.es. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2012.