Cuba's Gradual Prisoner Release Sparks Hope for Change

Jose Daniel Ferrer, a Cuban dissident and human rights activist, has been released from jail as part of a plan negotiated with the Vatican to gradually free 500 prisoners. The Cuban government's action follows discussions that led to the U.S. easing sanctions on Cuba.

Cuban dissident and human rights advocate Jose Daniel Ferrer has been released from jail, marking a significant move in a wide-reaching plan coordinated with the Vatican to free around 500 prisoners, Ferrer stated to Reuters on Thursday.

This decision comes as the Cuban government initiated the release of a limited number of prisoners, subsequent to discussions with the Catholic Church, prompting the U.S. President Joe Biden's administration to considerably ease sanctions on Cuba, a nation mired in crisis.

The releases follow the July 2021 protests, the largest since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro. Ferrer, a high-profile dissident, continues his fight for Cuban freedom, having been detained for participating in these protests.

(With inputs from agencies.)