Sawt Falasteen - Cuba begins prisoner release after mass pardon

More than 20 inmates came out of La Lima penitentiary in east Havana, holding their release papers, crying and hugging relatives who had been waiting for them all morning, AFP journalists said.

"Thank you for this opportunity that they gave us," said Albis Gainza, 46, who had served half of a six-year sentence for robbery.

He said he could not sleep after learning he would be released.

"This needs to keep going ... (and) more are released," Gainza told AFP.

The Cuban government announced late Thursday that it would pardon 2,010 prisoners as a "humanitarian and sovereign gesture" to mark Holy Week.

It did not link it to talks with the United States, but the move came days after President Donald Trump eased a de facto oil blockade of Cuba by allowing a Russian tanker to deliver crude to the fuel-starved island.

This "follows a long pattern where there is a song and dance about how it has nothing to do with negotiations when it clearly does," Andres Pertierra, a historian of Cuba at the University of Wisconsin in the United States, told AFP.

The Trump administration has called for change in communist-run Cuba's system of government and the US president has mused about "taking" the island.

But the two sides have also held talks recently.

Releasing political prisoners has long been a core US demand in Cuba, but it was not immediately clear if any were among those pardoned as no list was published.

The US State Department said it was aware of reports of the prisoner release "though it is unclear how many, if any, political prisoners will be released."

"We continue to call for the immediate release of the hundreds of other brave Cuban patriots who remain unjustly detained," a State Department spokesperson told AFP.

Cuba is holding 775 political prisoners, according to rights group Justicia11J.

- 'Crimes against authority' -

Justicia11J said "any release represents immediate relief, especially for the families" but it warned that the gesture "does not constitute a change in the Cuban State's repressive policies."

The rights group, which arrests stemming from massive anti-government protests in July 2021, noted that the government had not published a list of those being released.

The Cuban government said the releases would be based on the nature of the crimes, good behavior, health reasons and time served.

It added those released would not include people who committed murder, sex assault, drug-related crimes, theft, illegal slaughter of livestock and "crimes against authority."

Justicia11J raised said the mention of the all-encompassing "crimes against authority" was "particularly concerning."

"These charges have instead served as instruments of political repression in Cuba," the NGO said.

- 'Great blessing' -

The Cuban government said the individuals being freed include young people, women and prisoners over 60 years old who are scheduled for early release within the next six months to a year.

The government previously announced on March 12 that it would free 51 prisoners as a sign of "good will" toward the Vatican, which has often acted as a mediator between Washington and Havana.

At least 20 political prisoners were released in the wake of the March announcement, according to rights group Cubalex.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Brian Perez, 20, who was jailed for causing bodily injury. "We suffered enough and the mothers, too."

Damian Farinas, 20, was serving a nearly three-year sentence for robbery.

"It's a great blessing," he said. "This pardon comes at the right time for many inmates."

W.Mansour--SF-PST