Cuban authorities on Friday began to free prisoners after announcing it would pardon 2,010 inmates, the second release in less than a month as it faces heightened US pressure.
More than 20 inmates came out of La Lima penitentiary in east Havana, holding their release papers, crying and hugging relatives who had been waiting for them all morning.
“Thank you for this opportunity that they gave us,” said Albis Gainza, 46, who had served half of a six-year sentence for robbery.
Photo: AFP
He said he could not sleep after learning he would be released.
“This needs to keep going... [and] more are released,” Gainza said.
The Cuban government on Thursday announced that it would pardon 2,010 prisoners as a “humanitarian and sovereign gesture” to mark Holy Week.
It did not link it to talks with the US, but the move came days after US President Donald Trump eased a de facto oil blockade of Cuba by allowing a Russian tanker to deliver crude to the fuel-starved island.
Releasing political prisoners has long been a core US demand in Cuba, but it was not immediately clear if any were among those pardoned, as no list was published.
The US Department of State said it was aware of reports of the prisoner release, “though it is unclear how many, if any, political prisoners will be released.”
“We continue to call for the immediate release of the hundreds of other brave Cuban patriots who remain unjustly detained,” a department spokesperson said.
Cuba is holding 775 political prisoners, rights group Justicia11J said.
“Any release represents immediate relief, especially for the families,” Justicia11J said, but warned that the gesture “does not constitute a change in the Cuban State’s repressive policies.”
The Cuban government said the releases would be based on the nature of the crimes, good behavior, health reasons and time served.
Those released would not include people who committed murder, sex assault, drug-related crimes, theft, illegal slaughter of livestock and “crimes against authority,” it said.
Justicia11J said the mention of the all-encompassing “crimes against authority” was “particularly concerning,” as the charges have served as “instruments of political repression in Cuba.”
The Cuban government said the people being freed include young people, women and prisoners older than 60 years old who are scheduled for early release within the next six months to a year.
The government last month announced that it would free 51 prisoners as a sign of “good will” toward the Vatican, which has often acted as a mediator between Washington and Havana.
At least 20 political prisoners were released in the wake of that announcement, rights group Cubalex said.
Of half a dozen former prisoners interviewed by Agence France-Presse outside La Lima, none were jailed for political reasons.
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