URGENT ACTION

PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE RE-IMPRISONMENT

On 29 April 2025, Cuban opposition leaders and prisoners of conscience José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro were re-imprisoned under unclear and arbitrary conditions. Both had been previously released under a conditional release regime in January 2025, following negotiations involving the Vatican and the United States Government. Jose Daniel Ferrer remains as victim of enforced disappearance and incommunicado without access to their families or legal counsel. We call on the Cuban authorities to immediately and unconditionally release them and end the use of conditional releases as tools to control the freedom of expression.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

Miguel Díaz-Canel 
President of Cuba
Hidalgo Esq. 6, Plaza de La Revolución
CP 10400, La Habana, Cuba
Email: despacho@presidencia.gob.cu

Dear President Miguel Díaz-Canel,

I am writing to express my deep concern over the arbitrary re-imprisonment of Cuban opposition leaders and prisoners of conscience, José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro, in the early hours of 29 April 2025. Both men had previously been released in January under a conditional regime imposed without their consent.

Their re-arrest—without prior judicial notification or access to legal representation—constitutes a clear violation of their right to liberty and security of person, and contradicts Cuba’s obligations under international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

José Daniel Ferrer remains as victim of enforced disappearance and is held incommunicado, without access to his family or legal counsel. Such conditions are deeply alarming. Incommunicado detention may facilitate torture, ill-treatment, or enforced disappearance. In certain circumstances, it may itself amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and violates the absolute prohibition of torture under international law.

Félix Navarro, a 71-year-old former teacher and long-standing political activist, has now been imprisoned three times for peacefully expressing his views. He suffers from multiple chronic health conditions, including diabetes and post-COVID-19 pulmonary complications, and was granted precautionary measures by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 2022. 

I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro; and put an end to the misuse of conditional release as a tool to control the freedom of expression.

Yours sincerely,

Additional information

On 14 January 2025, Cuban authorities announced the release of 553 individuals “in the spirit of the Jubilee Year,” following conversations with Pope Francis. The U.S. simultaneously declared it would remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Despite official denials of coordination, civil society organizations confirmed that the releases focused on those detained for participating in the 11 July 2021 protests. However, the process lacked transparency, excluded victims and families, and imposed conditions without legal safeguards.
José Daniel Ferrer and Félix Navarro are prominent Cuban opposition leaders and prisoners of conscience. Both were re-imprisoned on 29 April 2025 under opaque conditions, without access to legal counsel or their families. They had previously been released in January 2025 under a conditional regime imposed without their consent, as part of a process reportedly linked to talks with the Vatican and the United States.
Until the 6 of May of 2025, José Daniel remains a victim of enforced disappearance. Although his family has received informal indications that he is being held at Mar Verde prison, they have not received any official communication regarding his whereabouts or legal situation. His family has not been able to have direct contact with him and is deeply concerned about his health and physical integrity, especially after his wife was denied visitation on two separate occasions. The family also indicated that José Daniel might be in incommunicado detention. The use of solitary confinement or isolation, particularly when prolonged or indefinite, must be strictly regulated and only applied in exceptional cases. Any sustained denial of communication with the outside world raises grave human rights concerns.
Ferrer, leader of the unofficial group UNPACU, was first detained in July 2021 for attempting to join nationwide protests. He was charged with “public disorder” but never tried, and his prior house arrest sentence was revoked. He has suffered constant harassment and reports health deterioration due to prolonged imprisonment and incommunicado detention.
Navarro, a 71-year-old dissident and founder of the “Pedro Luis Boitel” Party for Democracy, has spent over three decades promoting peaceful political reform. Arrested in July 2021 while advocating for detained colleagues, he was sentenced to nine years in prison. He suffers from chronic health conditions and has received inadequate medical care in detention.
Amnesty International has denounced the broader pattern of repression and lack of transparency around the January releases. Many individuals were freed without guarantees, information, or legal clarity. Conditional release is being used as a tool of control, and dozens of activists remain at risk of re-arrest. Since their release from prison, they have been victims of repeated arbitrary detentions, threats and harassment for their political activism, their denunciation of human rights violations in Cuba and even for their humanitarian work.
Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all those imprisoned for peacefully exercising their rights in Cuba.

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Spanish.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 8 of August 2025 
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Jose Daniel Ferrer, he/him – Felix Navarro, he/him

LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: N/A

Additional targets

Her Excellency Ms Ismara Mercedes Vargas Walter
Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary  
Embassy of the Republic of Cuba
167 High Holborn WC1V 6PA
020 7240 2488
Fax 020 7836 2602
secembajador@uk.embacuba.cu
www.cubadiplomatica.cu
Salutation: Your Excellency