The case of José Daniel Ferrer García in Cuba

European Parliament resolution of 19 September 2024 on the case of José Daniel Ferrer García in Cuba (2024/2805(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to its previous resolutions on Cuba,

–having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas human rights defender and opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer García was detained on 11 July 2021 in the context of widespread protests in Cuba, and has been held in isolation since 14 August 2021; whereas the Cuban regime has imprisoned, harassed and intimidated him for over a decade for his peaceful political activism; whereas since March 2023, he has been held incommunicado and his family have received no information about his health and have been denied the right to visit him;

B.whereas the Cuban regime holds political prisoners in the most appalling conditions; whereas reports indicate that José Daniel Ferrer is in a critical condition and has been held without access to medical treatment, with inadequate food and in unsanitary conditions, which constitute forms of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment;

C.whereas the human rights situation in Cuba is alarming, particularly for dissidents, who are subjected to worrying levels of surveillance and arbitrary detention; whereas the number of political prisoners is unknown but reliable sources state that the regime holds over a thousand prisoners, including minors; whereas among the many political prisoners are Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Lizandra Gongora, whose health condition is critical;

1.Urges the Cuban regime to immediately and unconditionally release José Daniel Ferrer and all persons politically and arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly;

2.Condemns the systematic human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by the Cuban regime against protesters, political dissidents, religious leaders and human rights activists, among others; urges the Cuban authorities to immediately end the repression;

3.Condemns the torture and inhuman, degrading and ill-treatment perpetrated by the Cuban authorities against José Daniel Ferrer and the other political prisoners; calls for the families of victims of the regime’s persecution to be granted immediate access to them, pending their release, and for the victims to be given medical care;

4.Reiterates its unconditional support for the Cuban people and for all human rights defenders in Cuba for their dedication to freedoms and rights which the regime has denied for decades; calls on the regime to listen to its citizens and to engage in an inclusive national dialogue aimed at modernisation and democratisation;

5.Reiterates its call on the Council to apply the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (the EU Magnitsky Act) and adopt sanctions against those responsible for the persistent human rights violations in Cuba;

6.Reiterates its previous positions regarding the possibility of activating the PDCA’s suspension clause, given that the core human rights clauses of the agreement have been continuously breached by the Cuban regime;

7.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Cuban regime, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the Member States, the United Nations and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.