As of last month, there were an estimated 1,214 political prisoners being held by Cuba’s communist government, according to the nonprofit Prisoners Defenders organization. On March 12th, it was announced that 51 prisoners were to be released in the coming days, though it was unclear how many, if any, were political prisoners. Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “all have served a significant part of their sentence and have maintained good conduct in prison.” [CBS News, March 12, 2026.]

While the CBS News report called this “an unexpected move amid pressure from Trump” [id.], a statement released by Cuban officials said:

“In a spirit of goodwill and of the close and fluid relations between the Cuban State and the Vatican — relations through which communication has historically been maintained regarding review processes and the release of persons deprived of liberty — the Government of Cuba has decided to release, in the coming days, 51 people serving prison sentences.” [Vatican News, March 13, 2026.]

This was followed by a statement from Director Matteo Bruni of the Holy See (Vatican) Press Office to the effect that there have been recent discussions between the Holy See and Cuban authorities “regarding the release of prisoners” in Cuba. [Id.]

Whoever claims credit — and history dictates that it rightfully belongs to the Vatican — this is obviously good news.

*. *. *

But it is yet another Sunday with no further news concerning those on our list of political prisoners. So once again, we send them greetings and assurances that they are not being overlooked during this time of crisis, not only in Ukraine, but now also in Iran and the surrounding regions. They include, among many others:

Prisoners of War:

The 19,500 Kidnapped Ukrainian Children
The People of Ukraine

Immigrant Detainees in Russia:

Migrants from the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Endangered Exiles:

Mikita Losik
Yulia Navalnaya
Countless Journalists and Other Dissidents

Political Prisoners:

In Afghanistan:

Dennis Coyle (American)

In Azerbaijan:

The “Azerbaijan 7”:
— Farid Mehralizada
— Ulvi Hasanli
— Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifqiai)
— Mahammad Kekalov
— Hafiz Babali
— Nargiz Absalamova
— Elnara Gasimova

In Belarus:

Andrei Chapiuk
Uladzimir Labkovich
Andrzej Poczobut
Marfa Rabkova
Valiantsin Stafanovic
Yuras Zyankovich

In Georgia:

Mzia Amaglobeli

In Russia:

The “Crimea 8”:
— Oleg Antipov
— Artyom Azatyan
— Georgy Azatyan
— Aleksandr Bylin
— Roman Solomko
— Artur Terchanyan
— Dmitry Tyazhelykh
— Vladimir Zloba

James Scott Rhys Anderson (British)
David Barnes (American)
Gordon Black (American)
Hayden Davies (British)
Anastasia Dyudyaeva
Antonina Favorskaya
Konstantin Gabov
Robert Gilman (American)
Stephen James Hubbard (American)
Sergey Karelin
Timur Kishukov
Vadim Kobzev
Darya Kozyreva
Artyom Kriger
Michael Travis Leake (American)
Aleksei Liptser
Grigory Melkonyants
Nika Novak
Leonid Pshenychnov (in Russian-occupied Crimea)
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Sofiane Sehili (French)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Grigory Skvortsov
Eugene Spector (American)
Joseph Tater (American, disappeared)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland (American)

You have not been, and will not be, forgotten.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
3/15/26