Orlando Zapara Cuban bricklayer, plumber and Democratic Party activist Date of Birth: 15.05.1967 Country: Cuba

1. Orlando Zapata: Cuban Dissident and Political Prisoner
2. Early Life and Political Involvement
3. Second Arrest and Imprisonment
4. Amnesty International's Recognition
5. Final Hunger Strike and Death
6. Final Days and Death

Orlando Zapata: Cuban Dissident and Political Prisoner

Orlando Zapata Tamayo, a Cuban mason, plumber, and activist for the Democratic Party of Cuba, tragically passed away on February 23, 2010, after an extended hunger strike that lasted over eighty days.

Early Life and Political Involvement

Zapata was a member of the "Alternative Republican Movement" and the "National Council for Civic Resistance." His activism led to his first arrest on December 6, 2002, where he faced charges of contempt of authorities and spent three months in prison.

Second Arrest and Imprisonment

On March 20, 2003, just thirteen days after his release from prison, Zapata was arrested again during a crackdown on dissidents and sentenced to thirty-six years in prison. During his initial arrest, he was already on a hunger strike organized by the Assembly for the Promotion of Civil Society, demanding the release of political prisoners.

Amnesty International's Recognition

Amnesty International recognized Zapata as a political prisoner, highlighting his unjust sentence and treatment in prison.

Final Hunger Strike and Death

On December 2-3, 2009, Zapata embarked on a hunger strike to protest the Cuban government's prohibition on him wearing white dissident clothing and the deplorable conditions in prison. He refused to eat or drink from anyone except his mother, who visited him every three months.

According to the Cuban Democratic Directorate, Zapata was deprived of water for eighteen days, severely deteriorating his health and damaging his kidneys. However, he remained steadfast in his strike. He was eventually transferred to the Camagüey hospital, where he was forcibly fed intravenously against his will.

Final Days and Death

On February 16, 2010, Zapata's condition worsened, leading to his transfer to a hospital in Havana. He passed away on February 23, 2010, at approximately 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Zapata's death marked the first hunger strike-related fatality of a government opponent in Cuba since 1972.