EU Parliament Chief Calls For Immediate Release Of Cuban Activist Berta Soler

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2021) European Parliament President David Sassoli on Monday called on the Cuban government to immediately release pro-opposition activist Berta Soler, member of the Ladies in White movement.

"I call for the immediate release of Berta Soler, who is imprisoned in Cuba. As one of the Ladies in White, she won the 2005 #SakharovPrize awarded by the @Europarl [European Parliament]," Sassoli said on Twitter.

He asserted the European Union's commitment to supporting those "who fight for freedom of expression, peace and dialogue."

The Ladies in White is a group whose core are the wives of jailed opposition politicians in Cuba. Soler is a laureate of the Sakharov prize for Freedom of Thought, which gives recognition to human rights activists.

Since July 11, Cuba has been witnessing its largest protests since 1994, fueled by anger over shortages of basic goods. Thousands of people took to the streets to demand free elections and the resolution of social issues. According to local media, protests and demonstration took place in eight Cuban cities, including Havana. In response, the government and supporters of the Communist Party held their own countermarches.

International human rights organizations have reported that several people were injured and detained during the Cuban anti-government protests, including journalists. The European Union has urged the Cuban government to release all those detained during the protests.