Cuba concludes the releases in which only one minority were political prisoners

The Cuban government officially terminated the releases initiated last January of 553 people after negotiations with the Catholic Church, a process in which the majority of the beneficiaries were common inmates.

The Human Rights Defender Organization, Justice 11J, expressed concern on Monday, after the statements of the vice president of the Popular Supreme Court, Maricela Sosa Ravelo, on state television on the end of the process.

According to Sosa Ravelo, in January 378 applications for early release, and another 175 in February were approved. The identity of the beneficiaries and other data on the release were not revealed by the authorities.

Justice 11J, who worked from the beginning in the verification of the process, said that to date he has been able to verify the identity of 193 released people, and another 9 who already fulfilled their sanction in a regime of excarerceration, which adds a total of 202 people deprived of liberty for political reasons benefited.

The organization said that, however, it has received numerous complaints that indicate that a significant part of the released people are common inmates.

«Despite not having official data that allows us to know the exact proportion, the testimonies received suggest that the number of common prisoners released is greater.»

In his statements during the stellar broadcast of the National Television News, Sosa Ravelo admitted that released persons remain subject to conditions imposed by the authorities, some unacceptable for political prisoners, such as the obligation to maintain social behavior in accordance with socialist norms.

This implies the risk of being imprisoned again, if the regime decides, justice stressed 11J.

The organization demanded «transparency and accountability about this process», and urged international actors and human rights organizations «to act urgently, and to demand from the Cuban State the official list of beneficiaries, with clear information on the selection criteria and compliance with the commitments assumed before the international community.»

(Development news)