Cuba publishes names of prisoners granted freedom in amnesty

HAVANA, May 25 (Reuters) - Cuba on Monday published the names of thousands of prisoners covered by an amnesty announced last month as the island's ​government holds tense negotiations with the United States on a range of disputes including ‌political prisoners.

A decree from President Miguel Diaz-Canel containing the list was published in Cuba's government gazette. At least some of the prisoners have been released already.

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The decree, signed April ​3, grants "full and definitive pardon" to an extensive list of prisoners, ​describing the move as a "humanitarian and sovereign gesture."

Cuba said in ⁠April it planned to free more than 2,000 prisoners from the island's ​jails, in the second prisoner amnesty announced this year by the communist-run ​government.

The government had not previously identified the prisoners to be released.

Reuters was not immediately able to confirm whether any of the prisoners were held on charges related to anti-government protests.

Cuba ​has repeatedly denied it holds political prisoners. Authorities instead say those jailed ​during protests face charges of public disorder, resisting arrest, robbery and vandalism.

Many high-profile dissidents ‌and ⁠protesters from island-wide protests in 2021 have been freed in recent agreements and amnesties.

The April amnesty was Cuba's largest in years. It was announced a day after Cuba's top diplomat in Washington publicly invited the U.S. ​government to help ​overhaul Cuba's crippled ⁠economy as part of ongoing negotiations.

Washington has since stepped up pressure on Cuba's communist government, including announcing murder charges ​against former Cuban President Raul Castro on May 20, ​in a ⁠sharp escalation of tensions between the longtime Cold War rivals.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a day later that the chances of a negotiated ⁠settlement ​with Cuba were “not high," while his Cuban ​counterpart Bruno Rodriguez accused Rubio of inciting military aggression and falsely labeling Cuba a state sponsor ​of terrorism.

Reporting by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle and Cynthia Osterman

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