Where were you the day Cuban prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata Tamayo died eight years ago?

Orlando Zapata Tamayo, May 15, 1967 – February 23, 2010

Orlando Zapata Tamayo

Do you even know who Orlando Zapata Tamayo was?

Orlando Zapata Tamayo was a Cuban bricklayer and human rights defender who worked with human rights heroes  Oscar Elias Biscet, and Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas in campaigns to educate Cubans on human rights and to reclaim those rights in the Project Varela petition drive.

He was imprisoned in 2003 and continuously beaten and tortured for seven years for continuing his defiance of the dictatorship and defense of human rights behind bars. In late 2009 in order to protest mistreatment he went on hunger strike and prison officials responded by taking his water away in order to break his spirit. Instead they killed him. Amnesty International said "Cuban authorities responsible for activist's death on hunger strike."

Cuban human rights defender and martyr Orlando Zapata Tamayo

The uproar caused by his death was a key factor in the later release over the course of 2010 and 2011 of the remaining prisoners of conscience imprisoned since 2003.

Returning to the original question in abbreviated form: "Where were you the day Orlando Zapata Tamayo died?"

The Canadian punk rock band I.H.A.D. asked the question in a song simply titled "Orlando Zapata" and we after requesting their permission produced the video below accompanying their song.

Prayers, tributes and justice for Harold

"Those who remove and crush freedom are the real slaves." - Harold Cepero Escalante

"We offered all the sacrifice of the Mass for you. Harold, your friends miss you, we honor you, hopefully we will follow your example" ... Rosa María Payá Acevedo


"Tribute from the MCL and friends for Harold Cepero Escalante. God be with you and your family." - Rosa María Payá Acevedo

"Dream until your dreams come true! Harold Cepero Anniversary 33. Young leader of MCL, martyr for the freedom of Cuba ."-Rosa María Payá Acevedo

"The fraudulent change that Oswaldo Paya and the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) denounced has three key factors: the military-economic oligarchy, the Catholic hierarchy and some Cuban exile entrepreneurs. This denouncement made by Oswaldo was what triggered the final order to end his and Harold's lives." - Christian Liberation Movement, January 29, 2013