Report Accuses Cuba of Using Prisoners for Forced Labour in Cigar and Charcoal Exports

Report Accuses Cuba of Using Prisoners for Forced Labour in Cigar and Charcoal Exports
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A new investigation has alleged that thousands of prisoners in Cuba are being forced to work producing cigars and marabú charcoal for export to European markets, according to The Guardian. The Madrid-based NGO Prisoners Defenders estimates that at least 60,000 inmates are subjected to forced labour under threats, coercion, and in unsafe conditions, with reports of violence and sexual abuse against female detainees.

The group describes the practice as a “national and institutionalised system of forced labour” directly overseen by the Cuban government.
Interviews were conducted between April and August 2025 with 53 prisoners or their relatives, representing 40 prisons. All respondents said they were compelled to work, 98% without proper tools or training, while nearly half reported physical violence. The NGO corroborated testimonies with further interviews and documents.

The report highlights that inmates at several prisons are forced to hand-roll premium Habanos cigars, with one facility alone producing over 11 million cigars annually. Production of marabú charcoal, marketed in Europe as “ecological,” was also linked to prison labour. However, it remains unclear what proportion of Cuba’s exports come from forced labour.

Prisoners Defenders submitted its findings to international bodies and governments in countries importing Cuban products, calling for accountability and trade restrictions on goods produced under such conditions. The NGO argues that Cuba’s prison system functions less as rehabilitation and more as a system of exploitation requiring international scrutiny.