The High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell, called this Monday for the release of more than 1,400 people detained in Cuba after the anti-government demonstrations on July 11, which marks one year on Monday.
For the past 12 months, the EU has reiterated its call on the Cuban Government to respect the human rights and freedoms of Cubans (…) and release all political prisoners and detainees solely for exercising freedom of assembly and expression and will continue doing so, Borrell said in a statement issued on behalf of Brussels.
A year ago, Cuba lived the biggest anti-government protests in decadescaused by the population’s discontent with the shortage of food and medicine, rising inflation, lack of energy and the dominance of the dollar in the Cuban economy, with protesters demanding the establishment of a democratic regime on the island.
During the protests, which had their epicenter in Havana but spread to other 50 places on the island, there were mass arrestsboth historical dissidents and anonymous citizens, some of whom were minors at the time.
The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Cubalex and Justicia 11J documented 1,484 arrests, while the Attorney General’s Office said in January that 790 people had been prosecuted as part of the demonstrations, of which 55 were between 16 and 17 years old.
In Cuba, the minimum age to be sentenced to a prison sentence is 16 years.
Until now, the courts issued 76 final judgments against 381 peoplehaving received 78% of those sanctioned (297) prison sentences, some of them of 25 years.
Borrell stressed that the EU “has followed with deep concern the disproportionate sentences” imposed and admitted that these trials “raise important concerns in relation to the basic principles and standards of transparency” of Cuban justice, for which he insisted that the Government of Miguel Díaz-Cane must allow the diplomatic community to witness the judicial proceedings.
The head of European diplomacy also asked the Cuban executive to establish a “meaningful and inclusive dialogue with Cubans about their legitimate grievancesand showed the willingness of the European bloc to address all these issues within the framework of the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement.
Source: Observadora
