Brian A. Nichols, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the United States, joined this Friday in the international condemnation of the imprisonment of Cuban dissident José Daniel Ferrer and nearly a thousand political prisoners in Cuba since July 11, 2021.
"We join the growing international concern for the health of José Daniel Ferrer and condemn the horrific conditions he and other political prisoners endure. We call on the Cuban government to release Ferrer and the nearly 1,000 other unjustly detained Cubans," Nichols expressed through a social media message.
European Parliament's Stand
On Thursday, Spanish MEP Francisco Millán Mon also raised his voice in the European Parliament, urging the European Union (EU) to take concrete measures against the Cuban government.
During his intervention on Wednesday, Millán Mon called for sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations on the island and highlighted Ferrer's critical situation as an example of government repression.
"The situation in Cuba has not improved. There are severe shortages of food, medicine, electricity, and water, and human rights continue to be disrespected," noted the MEP. "Six months ago, this Parliament approved a resolution on the alarming increase in the number of political prisoners in Cuba. A particularly symbolic case is that of José Daniel Ferrer (...) He remains in prison under deplorable conditions, and there are serious concerns about his health," he added.
Ferrer, coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), has been imprisoned multiple times for his activism, and reports indicate that his health has severely deteriorated due to the appalling prison conditions.
The detention of Ferrer, as one of Cuba's most visible political prisoners, has driven numerous international organizations and human rights advocates to demand his release.
"It is urgent to impose sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations on the island and consider suspending political cooperation dialogue with Cuba," Millán Mon concluded.