Jose Daniel Ferrer’s Trial Will be Held February 26, According to His Sister

José Daniel Ferrer, leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba. (EFE)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Havana, February 24, 2020 — The trial against the opposition figure José Daniel Ferrer, detained since October 1, will be held on February 26, according to a post by his sister Ana Belkis Ferrer on Facebook.

“The legal farce will be held on the 26th of this month at 8:30 at the Municipal Court of Santiago de Cuba, however they have not advised our family members,” wrote the sister of the leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu).

In her message, Ana Belkis explains that they only learned the date of the trial via a summons to testify in the trial received by the coordinator of Unpacu, Ebert Hidalgo. However, she made clear that the citation did not mention the charges of which José Daniel Ferrer is accused.

The district attorney is asking for nine years in prison for the Unpacu coordinator for the alleged crime of damages, according to claims by his wife, Nelva Ortega, in a video last month.

The opposition figure asked his family, during a visit on February 14, to begin a campaign with the hashtag #YoSoyElQueAcusa (I am the one who accuses).

“It is José Daniel who accuses the Castro dictatorship of crimes against humanity, of violating his rights and liberties, as well as those of all Cubans, of raiding and looting his home on repeated occasions using firearms, of terrifying acts of repudiation against him, his family, and other members of Unpacu, of attempted murder on three occasions, of threats, slander, savage beatings, defamation campaigns, physical and psychological torture, of depriving him of his liberty and putting his life at risk,” said the opposition figure’s sister.

José Daniel Ferrer spent almost eight years in prison after his arrest, in 2003, as one of the 75 dissidents who were victims of the Black Spring.

This Monday marks 146 days since his arrest, during which various bodies and institutions all over the world have asked for his release. On social media his freedom has been demanded with the hashtag #FreeFerrer.

Translated by: Sheilagh Herrera

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