Arbitrary Arrest of José Daniel Ferrer on Jan 13, 2021
Dr. Nelva Ismarays Ortega, wife of José Daniel Ferrer and human rights activist of the Patriotic Union of Cuba denounced the arbitrary arrest of her husband (pro democracy leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) on Jan 13, 2021 around 8 am in Calle 9, Esquina E. Reparto Altamira, Santiago de Cuba.
When José Daniel walked out of his home to inquire on the whereabouts of two UNPACU activists who had left earlier to get food for the poor and most vulnerable in his neighbourhood, he was violently and arbitrarily arrested by the state security police and PNR police. José Daniel went to asset his brothers in the peaceful struggle who were at risk of being arrested and preferred to run the risk of arrest himself instead of his fellow activists. Whereas Ferrer was released several hours later, it is essential to document arbitrary arrests in Cuba as they constitute gross human rights violations , Arbitrary, short term detentions is a common repressive method used by the regime against pro democracy and human rights activists in Cuba.
José Daniel Ferrer García started as a pro democracy activist in 1992 and ever since he has championed numerous social and political causes in support of human rights and democracy in Cuba. Following his first arrest and imprisonment in 2003 in the crackdown on dissent known as the Black Sprint he was declared a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International. He then served 8 of a 25 year sentence for his protagonist role as a Varela project leader in the eastern provinces, collecting signatures to convene a referendum for changes to the constitution with respect to rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of association. Following his release in 2011 he founded the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and in less than a decade the movement has led the greatest number of public protests in the island. Ferrer was arbitrarily arrested on October 1, 2019 and later subjected to a show trial which was denounced for serious irregularities by Amnesty International. Due to an international campaign for his release, Ferrer’s sentence was changed to 4 and half year of house arrest on April 3, 2020. While he was imprisoned in the Aguadores Prison in Santiago de Cuba he was subjected to physical and psychological tortures.
Since José Daniel started a house arrest sentence on April 3, 2020 he has been arrested on several occasions for taking to the streets (June 30, 2020) to protest police brutality that led to the killing of Hansel Hernandez and in support of the Sunflower Revolution on September 8, 2020. Since April 2020 he has been arrested at least on three occasions (and his home which is also the headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Cuba) has been under police siege for the past 6 months.
In recognition of his persistence and in the face of physical danger he was awarded the prestigious Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom Award by the United States Government on June 12, 2020.
UNPACU is both a movement in support of human rights and democracy in Cuba and a social/community project that provides food and medicine for the poor most vulnerable sectors of society in Santiago de Cuba and other parts of the island.