Cuba Releases 20 Political Prisoners: NGO

Cuba has freed at least 20 political prisoners since the government announced earlier this month that it would release 51 people in a deal with the Vatican, a rights group said Tuesday.

Cubalex, a Miami-based NGO, said all of the detainees who were granted early release had been jailed for taking part in massive anti-government protests on July 11 and 12, 2021.

The Cuban government announced on March 12 that it would release 51 people as a "goodwill" gesture to the Vatican, which has often acted as a mediator between Havana and Washington.

The unusual show of clemency was made after President Miguel Diaz-Canel confirmed that his government was in talks with the United States amid rising tensions between the two countries.

Cubalex, however, said on social media platform X that the process "continues to be marked by a lack of transparency and verifiable public information."

Cuban authorities have not published a list of prisoners who would be released or provided details about the charges for which they had been convicted.