The European Union (EU) asks Cuba to review the revocation of the release of opponents Ferrer and Navarro.
EFE (via 14ymedio), Havana/Brussels, May 1, 2025 — This Wednesday the government of Cuba “strongly” rejected a request from the EU that calls on the Regime to review its decision to revoke parole for opponents José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro, arrested two days ago in their respective places of residence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the EU statement “intrusive and disrespectful on matters of national sovereignty in which it has no right or moral authority; unaware of the truth and information offered by the Supreme Court of Cuba,” according to a message on social networks.
The People’s Supreme Court (TSP) confirmed last Monday the revocation of the releases of the historic opponents José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro and claimed that both “violated” the conditions imposed on them. In addition, it reiterated that the decision has a “legal basis.”
The Foreign Ministry called the EU statement “intrusive and disrespectful on matters of national sovereignty in which it has no right or moral authority; unaware of the truth and information”
“The criminal courts of the popular provincial courts of Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba revoked the parole of two persons who did not comply with the law during the probation period to which they were subject,” stated the vice president of the TSP, Maricela Sosa Ravelo.
The EU, through a spokesman for the EU’s senior representative for foreign affairs and security, Kaja Kallas, regretted the decision and also called in a statement for Cuba to release “all persons arrested for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.”
“The EU reiterates its calls for full respect of human rights and to ensure that all citizens, including those with dissident views, are able to exercise their fundamental freedoms freely,” she added.
Furthermore, she stated that the EU will “monitor the human rights situation” in Cuba and “use all established mechanisms to raise its concerns,” in line with the principles of the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (ADPC), the legal framework on which the two parties base their bilateral relations.
Her demand was joined by that of the legislature. The European Parliament’s Sub-Committee on Human Rights also expressed its “deep concern” about the situation of Ferrer and Navarro and called on the Cuban authorities to guarantee their fundamental right to express themselves freely without fear of persecution.
The chairman of this Sub-Committee, the French MEP from the Greens, Mounir Satouri, called in a statement “for the urgent, immediate and unconditional release” of both activists, as well as official confirmation of their whereabouts and guarantees for their physical safety and protection.
“We reaffirm our call to the Cuban authorities to respect fundamental rights and ensure that all citizens are free to express themselves without fear of being persecuted, even those with dissenting opinions,” he said.
“We reaffirm our call to the Cuban authorities to respect fundamental rights and ensure that all citizens are free to express themselves without fear of persecution”
Satouri, on behalf of the Sub-Committee, also urged the Cuban government to “respond to the legitimate demands of the Cuban people through an inclusive and sincere dialogue.”
The MEP also reached out to the ADPC and assured that the EU will continue to closely follow developments and make “full use of all available mechanisms” to address its concerns.
“The EU stands in solidarity with all those working peacefully for democratic change and remains committed to supporting efforts towards a more open and inclusive society,” he added.
Ferrer had planned to take part, at the beginning of this month, in the public hearing held by the EU Sub-Committee on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Cuba. Unable to connect live due to a power cut, he sent a pre-recorded video detailing “very worrying accounts of torture and systematic abuse in Cuban prisons,” Satouri pointed out.
Ferrer and Navarro, both with decades of opposition activism, were released last January, following an agreement between Havana and Washington mediated by the Vatican – and not recognized by the parties – in which Cuba committed to releasing 553 prisoners and the US to exclude Cuba from the list of countries promoting terrorism.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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