Cuba
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On January 16, 2025, Cuba: Cuba released 127 prisoners including important dissident José Daniel Ferrer from prison in a landmark deal with the departing U.S. President Joe Biden. This move has led to emotional reunions across Cuba. The deal works as a part of a broader plan negotiated with the Vatican to gradually free upwards of 500 prisoners.

José Daniel Ferrer, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and a high-profile prisoner, was arrested in October 2019 on charges of abducting and assaulting a man and sentenced to four years in jail. He has served a majority of his sentence under house arrest. However, he was arrested again in July 2021 for violating the terms of his house arrest during a protest in Santiago de Cuba.

According to Cuban civil groups monitoring the cases of detainees on the island, about 30 people have been released in the past two days, including Ferrer. Ferrer’s release comes amid a severe economic crisis and widespread protests over food shortages and power outages. Further in this context, the U.S. government declared its intent to lift the U.S. designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Ferrer confirmed that he was released and was at home in Palma Soriano, a town in the province of Santiago, more than 600 miles east of Havana. He expressed his intention to continue his non-violent struggle for freedom and democracy, stating, “I am at home, in fair health, but with the courage to continue fighting for the freedom of Cuba.” Keep Reading Questiqa.com and Questiqa.in for more.