Cuba Hits Record 1,260 Political Prisoners as NGO Alleges Torture and Sexual Abuse

Cuba reached a new record of 1,260 political prisoners in April, according to a report released Thursday by the human rights organization Prisoners Defenders, which alleged a worsening pattern of torture, sexual assaults, death threats, and denial of medical care inside the island's prison system.

The Madrid-based NGO said its April 2026 report documented 23 new political prisoners during the month, while 13 people left its list. The organization said those added included minors, athletes, artists, independent journalists, peaceful activists and relatives of government opponents.

The report said 449 political prisoners suffer serious medical conditions caused or worsened by detention, mistreatment, poor nutrition and lack of adequate health care. It also said 51 political prisoners with severe mental health disorders remain incarcerated without proper psychiatric treatment.

Prisoners Defenders said the current list includes 35 people who were detained as minors and 142 women held for political reasons. The group also alleged that Cuban authorities continue to use vague charges such as "public disorder," "contempt" and "sabotage" to punish dissent without due process guarantees.

Among the cases highlighted by the organization is Javier Ernesto Martín Gutiérrez, known as "Spiderman," a Cuban mixed martial arts champion who was detained in Havana after staging a solo protest from his home for several days. The report said he was held incommunicado before authorities confirmed he was being kept at Villa Marista, the state security facility long denounced by activists.

The allegations come as Cuba's government continues to face international criticism over its treatment of dissidents and protesters, especially those detained after the July 2021 demonstrations. Human Rights Watch said in April that Cuba's recent prisoner releases excluded many critics and did not address broader abuses against political detainees.

Amnesty International has also denounced harassment against prisoners of conscience and their families, including the case of artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, leader of the artistic movement San Isidro, who remains imprisoned in Guanajay maximum security prison.

The Cuban government has historically rejected the term "political prisoners," portraying many jailed dissidents as criminals, mercenaries or people acting under foreign influence. Prisoners Defenders says its list is compiled from legal records, family testimony and human rights documentation.

The new figure underscores the scale of Cuba's post-2021 crackdown. According to Prisoners Defenders, 2,048 people have been held as political prisoners in Cuba since July 1, 2021, with 1,901 entering prison during that period.