The Tribune

IMMIGRATION officials are investigating claims that the department has neglected two Cuban alleged abuse victims currently being held at Her Majesty’s Prison.

Family members of Carlos Pupos Mendoza and Lazaro Seara Marin have accused the government of detaining the two men under inhumane conditions for months without charge.

In a letter sent to the Tribune, and circulated online, “Yeinier Ferrer” claims that he has not heard from his brother Lazaro in five months, and called for human rights organisations to agitate for their release to the United States.

The statement read: “They are immigrants that are being held captive with dangerous criminals, murderers and rapists, in the same cell. The cell itself is only 1.7 metres by three metres and they have a total of six inmates living in it. The way of life forced upon them inside this cell is deplorable and inhumane. 

“They have no rights to a phone call to family, medical attention is denied, and they are made to sleep on the floor. Basically starved, they only receive one meal a day and are only given two gallons of water a day to share among all six inmates.” 

It continued: “They are only allowed to bathe three times a week for five minutes at a time and they are only allowed to urinate and defecate in a bucket that is used for all of them. I have only been given this information from a visitor that has been to see my brother at the prison, and none of the government of the Bahamas has given us any solid answers to what is going to happen to my brother or Carlos.”

Officials at Her Majesty’s Prison, and within the Ministry of National Security, did not respond to calls placed up to press time.

After more than four months of protest over investigations into alleged human rights abuses at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre from a Miami-based Cuban exile group, the government announced plans to launch a probe.

Five Defence Force marines were officially charged at the Defence Force Base in Coral Harbour last month following an investigation into claims of abuse at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

The accused marines will be pleading their innocence in the disciplinary proceedings, according to their attorney Wayne Munroe.

Mr Ferrer claims that the two men are the last of the abused group, and are able to travel to the US if released by the Bahamas government.

Yesterday, Minister of Immigration Fred Mitchell said the department would look into the claims, adding that the men may be stateless.