Post by : Bianca
Haleem
The Cuban government announced on Thursday night that it will release 51 prisoners from the country’s jails in the coming days. Officials described the move as a gesture of goodwill connected to the country’s close relationship with the Vatican.
According to Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the prisoners selected for release have already served a significant portion of their sentences and have maintained good conduct while in prison. Authorities did not reveal the identities of those who will be freed.
The announcement came just hours before President Miguel Díaz-Canel was scheduled to address journalists on Friday in a rare press meeting to discuss both national and international issues.
Cuban officials also highlighted that the country has a history of granting pardons and early releases. Since 2010, around 9,905 inmates have received pardons. In addition, the government said that about 10,000 prisoners sentenced to imprisonment have been released during the past three years.
A similar development took place in January 2025, when Cuba released prominent dissident José Daniel Ferrer. His release was part of a broader decision by the government to gradually free more than 500 prisoners after discussions with the Vatican.
Ferrer later left Cuba in October 2025 and is now living in the United States. His release, along with several others in early 2025, came shortly after the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden announced plans to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
At this stage, it is not clear whether any of the 51 prisoners set to be released are political detainees. However, the human rights organization Prisoners Defenders reported that there were 1,214 political prisoners in Cuba as of February 2026.
The upcoming releases are expected to draw international attention, particularly regarding human rights and political freedoms on the island.
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