On learning of this announcement, Markus Löning, the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, issued the following statement today (10 October):

“We are pleased about every release of political prisoners.

I call upon the Cuban Government to set free forthwith all those imprisoned for taking a stand for democracy and human rights, and to finally hold free elections. All released prisoners must be able to remain with their families in Cuba”.