Oscar Espinosa Chepe

Óscar Manuel Espinosa Chepe (born November 29, 1940) is a Cuban economist and dissident. He was one of approximately 75 dissidents arrested, tried and convicted in 2003 as part of what has been widely described as a massive crackdown by the Cuban government. Amnesty International declared him as a prisoner of conscience. During his incarceration, Espinosa was convicted as a traitor.

Background

From 1965 until 1968 Espinosa worked in the Economic Advisory Group of Prime Minister Fidel Castro. He graduated from the University of Havana with a degree in economics. From 1970 until 1984, Espinosa was responsible for Cuba’s economic, technical and scientific cooperation with Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Hungary. He served as economic counselor at the Cuban embassy in Belgrade.

In the 1980s, Espinosa grew increasingly disillusioned with the Cuban government's economic policies. He then went to work at the main office of the Central Bank of Cuba where he was in charge of domestic trade and tourism. In 1996 he was reportedly fired. Since then, Espinosa has written many articles, analyses, and commentaries about economic and other matters, most of which have been critical of the government’s policies and have contradicted official government reports. Barred from publishing articles in Cuba, Espinosa submitted them for publication in various international journals. For over five years, he also hosted a weekly radio segment, entitled “Charlando con Chepe” (Chatting with Chepe), for Radio Martí, a U.S.-supported station which broadcasts into Cuba. In these segments he reportedly commented on various aspects of the Cuban economy.

Arrest and trial

On March 19 2003, Espinosa was arrested after security agents reportedly spent 10 hours searching his apartment. At a trial on April 3, 2003, Espinosa was accused of “activities against the integrity and sovereignty of the State”. The authorities also alleged that Espinosa had been receiving money from abroad, collecting press clippings about meetings between representatives of the United States and Cuban dissidents, and other activities. The government alleged that it found US$13,600 sewn into the lining of a jacket while searching Espinosa’s home and that the money came from the U.S. government. Espinosa was subsequently convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was one of approximately 75 dissidents arrested and summarily tried as part of what has been widely described as a massive crackdown by the Cuban government.

The trial took only a few hours and was closed to the international press and to foreign diplomats. Mr. Espinosa was convicted for violating Articles 7 and 11 of Law 88 for the Protection of the National Independence and Economy of Cuba (Ley de Protección de la Independencia Nacional y la Economía de Cuba) and for acting against “the independence or the territorial integrity of the State” (Article 19 of the Penal Code). He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Following a rejected appeal by Espinosa, the Representative of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Christine Chanet, issued an appeal to the President of Cuba urging him to exercise his right of pardon on their behalf.

Release

Espinosa was released from prison along with fellow writer Raúl Rivero on November 29, 2004, after serving just over 19 months of his prison sentence. The authorities granted him medical parole because his already poor health had declined seriously during his incarceration. Espinosa reportedly suffers from a chronic kidney infection, a thoracic hernia, persistent hypertension, and weight loss, among other ailments. In early April 2003, after several weeks in detention, it was reported that his legs became swollen, his skin jaundiced, and he lost more than 20 kg (40 pounds). According to reports, harsh conditions of confinement at the penitentiary included unsafe drinking water and meals that are meager in quantity and consisted primarily of rice and split peas. Espinosa was reportedly held in a cell with 26 other inmates.

External links

• English PEN
• Committee on Human Rights
• Chepe Released from Prison - IFEX
• Newsfeed about Oscar Espinosa Chepe