His Excellency President Ral Castro ID: LFG-2017-0014

Council of State and the Council of Ministers

Plaza de la Revolucion

Havana

Republic of Cuba

Sent via: Mail

October 16th, 2017

Re: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

His Excellency President Ral Castro,

I am extremely concerned as to the recent hostility between the Republic of Cuba and the United States.
I was extremely happy to see President Barack Obama re-opening the Embassy of the United States in
the Republic of Cuba and his hard work as to re-establishing diplomatic relations between the two
countries.1 I am however not pleased to see the recent hostility between the Republic of Cuba and the
United States. While I am not going to address that issue in this letter, please know that whatever
disputes that are occurring between the two countries, I hope that the Republic of Cuba and that the
United States will be able to resolve whatever dispute that they may have towards one another.

This letter that I am sending to you is concerning Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. As you already know, the
United States pays the Republic of Cuba money as to renting space as for the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
area. While I am not against that, I am extremely against torture that has occurred at the Guantanamo
Bay Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.2 I am asking you to take action towards this issue because
torture and inhumane and degrading treatment towards people cannot be tolerated. I believe that all
citizens of every country have a right to be free from torture in which includes those that have been
charged or not charged with committing a crime. While it does appear as if countries have agreements
and disagreements as to how torture is defined, I do believe that torture has occurred at the
Guantanamo Bay Naval Station in the Republic of Cuba. There has been documented evidence that
would help support that assertion.3 It has been reported that the detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
area have been waterboarded, forced fed, slapped, punched, cramped in confinement, had dietary
manipulation, attention grasps, were subjected to facial holds, were forced to be nude, were forced to
be in stress positions, faced sleep deprivation, forced to engage in wall standing and et cetera.4
Detainees at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, even if they were not charged with committing any
crimes, were subjected to a serious and concerning amount of torture in the Republic of Cuba.5 All of

1
It does appear as if some political figures believe that reversing all of President Obamas policies and reforms is
somehow patriotic. This is not good.
2
I have previously written a letter to then President Barack Obama as to this issue. The White House sent me a
reply letter as to this issue. The White Houses letter is attached with this letter to you.
3
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/30/politics/red-cross-finds-detainee-abuse-in-guantanamo.html
4
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-13-enhanced-interrogation-techniques-the-cia-used-on-detainees-2014-12
5
Since the Republic of Cuba leases the Guantanamo Bay area to the United States, the Republic of Cuba is
considered to be the landlord and the United States is the tenant.
the detainees that have been incarcerated at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station are not guilty and
some have proven this. I believe that torturing the wrong individuals will create extremists and will
subject the innocent to health issues.6

While it may be true at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station is somewhat the property of the United
States, please know that the United States rents the Guantanamo Bay area from the Republic of Cuba
through a contract. Therefore, the Guantanamo Bay area in the Republic of Cuba is not the property of
the United States. The United States in this case is the tenant as to the Guantanamo Bay area and the
Republic of Cuba is the landlord. Since the Republic of Cuba is the landlord, I could assume that the
Republic of Cuba could be held responsible as to violations of international law that occur in its own
territory. Even if that was not the case, I believe that the Republic of Cuba must make sure that all of its
tenants are in compliance as with international law while on the property of the Republic of Cuba. I do
believe that the government of the Republic of Cuba does have judication as to addressing this issue and
I hope that the Republic of Cuba does act as to helping make sure that international law is upheld. No
country is superior as to abiding by international law and it is imperative as for all countries to respect
that.

In conclusion, I would like to respectfully request that you personally make sure that torture and other
violations of international law does not occur in the Guantanamo Bay area of the Republic of Cuba. I
would ask that you modify the contract that you have with the United States concerning the
Guantanamo Bay area in which should specifically include that torture or other forms of degrading
treatment and punishment as defined by international law will not be allowed in the Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba area. Too often in our world do we have international law violations occurring without those issues
being addressed. As in this case, I would respectfully request that the government of the Republic of
Cuba makes it clear that torture or any other violations of international law by the tenant of the area
will not be tolerated by the landlord.

Respectfully,

Isaiah X. Smith7

cc:

Attn: Ambassador Rodolfo Reyes Rodrguez

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cuba to the United Nations

315 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY, 10016

cuba_onu@cubanmission.com Via electronic mail

6
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/09/world/cia-torture-guantanamo-bay.html
7
www.isaiahxsmith.com