FREE JOSE DANIEL FERRER, CUBAN PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE

DEMOCRATIC SPACES LAUNCHES A campaign for the release of José Daniel Ferrer García, Cuban prisoner of conscience.

In Canada, Democratic Spaces has called on parliament and government, through petitions, letters, and meetings, to take resolute measures for the immediate and unconditional liberation of José Daniel Ferrer García and all political prisoners. Political imprisonment constitutes the greatest humanitarian tragedy for thousands of Cuban families. That is why we will continue day after day, fighting for the freedom of all prisoners of conscience in Cuba.

Marta Ferrer Cantillo, daughter of José Daniel Ferrer and Michael Lima at the Transatlantic Parliamentary Forum at City Hall in Miami. Nov 20, 2021 with a sign that reads #Free Ferrer. In her presentation, Marta read an impassioned presentation describing the tortures and degrading treatment José Daniel suffers in prison.

José Daniel Ferrer García, a name that resonates with courage, resilience, and unwavering determination. He is not just a leader, but a beacon of hope in the darkness of oppression. His story is one that evokes deep emotions and compels us to take a stand.

For decades, José Daniel has fearlessly fought for democracy and human rights in Cuba, a country plagued by the shackles of a relentless dictatorship. With a peaceful spirit, yet an unyielding commitment, he has become a symbol of resistance against the longest-lasting tyranny in Latin American history. Since 1992, he has dedicated his life to dismantling the chains of oppression that grip his homeland.

But it is not without a heavy price that José Daniel has pursued this noble mission. Three times he has been unjustly imprisoned, his freedom snatched away for political reasons. Amnesty International recognized him as a Prisoner of Conscience in both 2003 and 2021, further solidifying the global recognition of his unwavering dedication to the cause of freedom.

And now, he is once again confined, isolated from the world he yearns to transform. It was on that pivotal day, July 11, 2021, when he was on his way to joining fellow pro-democracy demonstrators in Santiago de Cuba, fully aware of the risks involved. Yet, he forged ahead, steadfast in his convictions, knowing that his commitment to peaceful protest might result in his current imprisonment—a harsh verdict of four and a half years, unjustly imposed upon him.

José Daniel bears the full force of the regime's repressive machinery, enduring its relentless onslaught of cruelty and brutality. Reports of torture in Cuba, submitted to the United Nations, reveal that he has endured unimaginable suffering, becoming the prisoner who has experienced the most heinous forms of torment. Stripped of communication with the outside world for approximately three agonizing months, he is denied the opportunity to witness his beloved son, Daniel José, grow, The anguish and sorrow are immeasurable. Recently, on June 7, he was cruelly denied the chance to embrace his son of four tender years, a child eagerly awaiting his father's presence on his birthday. The last person to have seen him was Archbishop Dionisio García Ibáñez of Santiago de Cuba on March 17, 2023. Since then, the world has been left in a state of uncertainty, reliant on a brief note from prison to catch a glimpse of his well-being. In previous instances, he has endured enforced disappearances, lasting three torturous months, particularly after his imprisonment on that unforgettable day in July 2021. The United Nations itself has condemned these acts of torture inflicted upon him.

Imagine, if you can, the conditions within José Daniel's cell—the very cell described by his sister, Ana Belkis Ferrer García, a Lady in White. It is a chamber meticulously crafted to maximize suffering, a chamber where he has been subjected to extreme temperatures, suffocating lack of ventilation, haunting sounds that pierce his soul. They contaminate his water, denying him the most basic of necessities, and heartlessly withhold the medical care he so desperately requires. In December 9 2022, during a family visit, he was savagely beaten by the prison's ruthless head, Colonel Pineda of Mar Verde. The brutality unfolded before his wife and children, leaving scars that run far deeper than physical pain. As if that weren't enough, the guards, driven by an incomprehensible cruelty, continued their assault within his cell, mercilessly punishing him for the mere act of safeguarding his family's correspondence.

Such is the nature of the dictatorship that José Daniel confronts—a regime that unleashes its brutality upon him and his loved ones with unfathomable intensity. His unwavering commitment to his homeland, his refusal to succumb to forced exile, has made him a prime target for the dictatorship's relentless wrath. Imprisonment, forced house arrest, arbitrary arrests, beatings—these are the weapons employed against him. But the regime's most insidious tactic is the systematic character assassination executed through its iron grip on the media, leaving no avenue for his truth to be heard.

In the midst of his struggle, a beacon of recognition shone upon José Daniel, illuminating his unwavering dedication. On June, 2020, he was honored with the Truman Reagan Medal of Freedom Award by the Victims of Communism Foundation. It is a testament to his unwavering bravery, his relentless fight for human rights. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jerzy Popiełuszko, Lech Walesa, Martin Luther King Jr., and José Martí, José Daniel's mission is clear—to remain in Cuba, his beloved homeland, and continue the arduous fight for democracy. His unwavering spirit and compassion have endeared him to the people of Santiago de Cuba, especially those who find themselves most vulnerable and in need. Alongside his wife, Dr. Nelva Ortega, he has established a humanitarian mission as part of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, offering free medical assistance, medications, and meals to the marginalized and disadvantaged within their city.

We, the Cuban people who yearn for freedom, bear a moral debt to José Daniel. He has stood by us, dedicating his life to the pursuit of liberty in Cuba. It is now our turn to stand by him, to amplify his voice, and demand justice for his unjust and arbitrary imprisonment. Let us join together and raise our voices in unison, calling for his release and the liberation of all political prisoners in Cuba. May our heartfelt cries echo across borders, piercing through the walls of injustice, until the day when José Daniel and countless others like him can breathe the sweet air of freedom once more