Cuba has granted early release to 553 prisoners as part of a deal mediated by the Holy See during the final days of former U.S. President Joe Biden’s presidency.
As part of the agreement with Cuban authorities, U.S. President Joe Biden removed Cuba from the U.S. terrorism blacklist on January 14, in exchange for the Cuban government’s commitment to release 553 prisoners.
The United States, the European Union, the Catholic Church, and rights groups have long urged the island nation to release hundreds of protesters imprisoned after anti-government protests in July 2021, the largest since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution.
In a statement following the deal, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said, "In the spirit of the 2025 Jubilee and as part of the close and ongoing relations with the Vatican, I informed Pope Francis of the decision to release the prisoners."
The deal was reversed by the new U.S. administration just six days after Donald Trump was sworn in, but the release of prisoners has continued sporadically.
In February, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, called the gradual release of the Cuban prisoners „a sign of great hope“ at the start of the Holy Year, and he expressed hope for more "gestures of clemency“ from governments in the spirit of the Jubilee.
Speaking late on Monday, the vice president of Cuba‘s top court said on state television that the process was successfully completed.
According to rights groups, opposition activists and a dissident leader are among those released. However, two dissident artists and a musician co-author of the anti-government protests anthem are still in jail. Observers claim that many of those released are not political prisoners.
According to official figures, around 500 demonstrators over the July 2021 protests have been sentenced, in some cases to up to 25 years in prison.
Britain, France, and Germany have confirmed that their proposal to extend the Iran nuclear deal and delay the reimposition of UN sanctions for 30 days...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that all tariffs he has imposed remain in effect, following a ruling by a U.S. Appeals Court that found mos...
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $179.1 million Foreign Military Sale to Ukraine for sustainment of its Patriot air defense systems,...
Russia and China will strengthen bilateral ties, boost economic cooperation, and jointly oppose “discriminatory” sanctions, Russian President Vlad...
Demonstrations across Indonesia have intensified after the death of a delivery driver in Jakarta, alongside criticism of government policies on wages,...
Head of the Catholic church Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday urged the global community to push for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, calling for the release of hostages and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Russia is dismissing the Vatican as a credible venue for peace talks with Ukraine, citing religious and geopolitical concerns, according to senior Russian sources.
President Donald Trump has announced the development of a sweeping new missile defense initiative dubbed the “Golden Dome,” a multibillion-dollar system designed to shield the U.S. from next-generation threats, including hypersonic and space-launched missiles.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV confirmed his readiness to host the next round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks at the Vatican, expressing her gratitude for his support.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Delta Air Lines has agreed to pay $79 million to settle a lawsuit stemming from a 2020 incident in which one of its planes dumped fuel over schools and neighborhoods near Los Angeles.
Volkswagen’s Brazil unit has been ordered to pay 165 million reais ($30.44 million) in damages for subjecting workers to slavery-like conditions on a farm during the 1970s and 1980s, labour prosecutors said on Friday.
Eight people, including Irish missionary Gena Heraty and a three-year-old child, have been released after nearly a month in captivity following a kidnapping at the Saint-Helene Orphanage in Kenscoff, near Haiti’s capital.
Britain, France, and Germany have confirmed that their proposal to extend the Iran nuclear deal and delay the reimposition of UN sanctions for 30 days “remains on the table,” UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward said on Friday at the United Nations.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that all tariffs he has imposed remain in effect, following a ruling by a U.S. Appeals Court that found most of tariffs illegal.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment