On the critical situation in Cuba
B-9-2024-0144
on behalf of the PPE Group · Rapporteur: Gabriel Mato, Michael Gahler, Leopoldo López Gil, Paulo Rangel, Antonio LópezIstúriz White
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Parliament's resolution on the critical situation in Cuba finds that democracy, freedoms and human rights have deteriorated since the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) took effect. It condemns repression, demands the release of political prisoners, calls for sanctions and asks the EU to suspend the agreement.¶¶¶ It denounces the exclusion of independent civil society from EU-Cuba dialogues and cooperation funds, condemns state-driven forced labour, and rejects Cuba's refusal to let a Parliament delegation enter the country.¶¶¶
Key points
- Regrets that the situation in democracy, freedoms and human rights in Cuba has not improved since the PDCA entered into force, and has further deteriorated in violation of the agreement.¶
- Stresses that all parties must fulfil the PDCA's binding provisions and recalls its human rights clause allowing suspension of the agreement for violations.¶
- Condemns systematic human rights violations against protesters, dissidents, religious leaders, activists and independent artists, urges Cuba to end repression, and condemns the lack of religious freedom.¶
- Is concerned at the rise in political prisoners, calls for the immediate release of those arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights, for abusive charges to be dropped, and for exiles to be allowed to return.¶
- Denounces the exclusion of legitimate civil society organisations and the democratic opposition from EU-Cuba civil society seminars and political and human rights dialogues.¶
- Expresses deep concern over forced labour in Cuba and condemns state-driven forced labour, including in medical brigades and among teachers, sailors, engineers, artists and athletes.¶
- Declares the exclusion of Parliament from Cuban territory unacceptable, rejects Cuba's refusal of an ad hoc delegation visit, and requests reciprocal denial of access to Parliament's premises for Cuban National Assembly or regime representatives, extended to other EU institutions.¶
- Demands that Cuba grant access to a Parliament delegation, other EU institutions, member states and independent human rights organisations to monitor trials and visit imprisoned activists, and calls on the VP/HR to raise the denied access.¶
- Reiterates its call on the Council to apply the EU Global Human Rights Sanction Regime and adopt sanctions against those responsible for human rights violations, starting with Miguel Díaz-Canel and other officials.¶
- Reiterates its call for the EU to trigger Article 85(3)(b) of the PDCA to request an immediate joint committee meeting, leading to suspension of the agreement over breaches of democratic principles and human rights.¶
Who is affected
- Cuban authorities and regime officials, who are urged to end repression, release prisoners and grant access to observers.¶¶¶
- Political prisoners, dissidents, religious leaders, human rights activists and independent artists in Cuba, whose release and protection are demanded.
- Independent civil society organisations, which Parliament says must be included in EU-Cuba dialogues and cooperation funds.¶
- The Council, the Commission, the VP/HR and EU member states, which are asked to impose sanctions and suspend the PDCA.¶¶
- Cuban workers such as doctors, teachers, sailors, engineers, artists and athletes serving abroad, who are described as subjected to forced labour.¶
Figures and deadlines
- 1 066 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience on 31 January 2024, including 33 who were minors at the time of detention.¶
- An eightfold increase since 2018, rising by 170 in the last 12 months, a monthly average of more than 14 politically motivated detentions.
- More than 11 000 cases of 'pre criminal' convictions with sentences averaging 2 years and 10 months.
- 78 % of the 'volunteers' in international missions stated they were deployed against their will or under coercive structural conditions.¶