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The Cuban opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer reacted to the announcement from the Cuban government regarding the release of 51 prisoners and stated that the measure is inadequate as long as individuals are still imprisoned for political reasons.
In a message posted on social media, Ferrer described the announcement as "yet another mockery of the Cuban people and the international community," and accused the regime of using these releases to gain political advantages during times of extreme crisis.
The activist pointed out that it is always a reason for joy that wrongfully imprisoned individuals regain their freedom, but criticized the authorities for releasing only a few while keeping many others in prison.
“We are always pleased when arbitrarily imprisoned individuals regain their freedom, but it is enough of imprisoning many to keep the population terrified while releasing only a few,” he/she stated.
Ferrer insisted that the only fair measure would be the release of all political prisoners on the island and the end of the repressive policies that, as he denounced, continue to fill the prisons with dissidents and citizens expressing their dissatisfaction.
"It is time to release all political prisoners and to put an end to the repressive policies that fill the prisons whenever tyranny desires," he stated.
The opposition figure also questioned the characterization of the partial release of prisoners as a humanitarian gesture, while, as he stated, new individuals continue to be detained for expressing critical opinions.
"Trading in human pain is a game too old for the dictatorship," he concluded.
This Thursday, the Cuban regime announced that it will release 51 individuals sentenced to imprisonment in the coming days, which it presented as a gesture made within the context of relations between the Cuban State and the Vatican.
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