Relatives, activists call for amnesty for Cuban political prisoners after regional releases

Relatives and activists across Cuba have renewed calls for a law granting amnesty to political prisoners, citing a recent general amnesty in Venezuela as fresh momentum for change. Families of those jailed after the July 11, 2021 protests say the measure is necessary to end prolonged detentions and to address what they describe as politically motivated prosecutions.

Wilber Aguilar, who handed a petition for an amnesty law to the National Assembly, is pressing for the release of his son Walniel Luis Aguilar Rivera, 25, who was sentenced to 12 years for sedition after taking part in the 2021 protests. Aguilar said, “It’s been almost two years since I submitted the petition and I’m still waiting.” The petitioners invoked Article 61 of the Constitution and quoted Chapter XX of the Official Gazette defining amnesty as “the commutation of the sentence imposed on someone who has committed a crime and entails the forgetting of the offense, the elimination of criminal proceedings, and the pardon of the sanction.”

Activists point to regional developments for renewed hope. Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez announced a general amnesty that could free hundreds detained for political reasons, prompting celebrations among relatives and activists there and inspiring similar demands in Cuba. Carolina Barrero, who has worked with families of Cuban political prisoners, said, “What is happening in Venezuela demonstrates that international pressure and persistent citizen demands can generate concrete changes. It is time to intensify the demands on Cuba. Cuba should pass a similar law that covers all political prisoners from 1959 to the present.”

Human-rights monitoring has documented the conditions that underpin the calls. Amnesty International reported interviewing more than 30 people and its Crisis Evidence Lab verified more than 60 pieces of audiovisual material related to the July 11 detentions. Amnesty also wrote to President Miguel Díaz-Canel and the Prosecutor General asking for counts, locations and charges for those detained on July 11, and said it had received no response. Amnesty urged authorities to “free, without conditions, those who never should have been imprisoned. President Díaz-Canel must take an unequivocal decision: end the use of the criminal justice system to silence criticism and punish activism.”

Counts and lists vary, but monitoring groups say many remain behind bars. One organization reported that as of 2025 more than 600 people remained in detention for participating in protests since 2021, and identified several individuals recognised as prisoners of conscience. Some activists have been released in recent years - José Daniel Ferrer, leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, was released on January 16, 2025 after more than three years in custody - but families say many cases remain unresolved.

For readers in Cuba and abroad, the renewed push signals a potential turning point in domestic advocacy strategies and international pressure. Follow-up will hinge on whether the National Assembly or President’s office responds to petitions and whether independent monitors obtain updated detainee counts and legal rulings. Families and activists plan to intensify public appeals and legal filings while pressing for transparent information on cases and access to independent legal representation.