Berta Soler, the head of the Ladies in White, remains missing following her arrest by State Security on Sunday, September 22, according to her husband, opposition figure Ángel Moya.
Soler, who was awarded the Sakharov Prize in 2005—a recognition given by the European Parliament to individuals and organizations who have made notable efforts in defending human rights and freedom of thought—does not appear in police detention records, Moya revealed, backing his claims with a recording of his call to the 106 hotline.
During the conversation with the police operator, Moya repeatedly explained that his wife had been detained by State Security agents on Sunday and that, as of Tuesday morning, he had no information about her whereabouts. The officer, after searching the system, responded that no one by that name was in custody, which heightened Moya's concerns and his insistence that he did not know her location. This situation raises serious concerns about the activist's physical safety.
On Sunday, the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) reported on X about the situation with the Ladies in White leader, whose arrest came shortly after she was threatened last week by a repressor known as "Felo." "Felo" had warned Berta that she would be imprisoned if she attended the September 22 protest after Soler refused to agree to a deal that would compromise her activism.
Despite the threat, the activist declared in a live Facebook broadcast, "I will be on the street, and only God knows what might happen. There is no agreement with the oppressor."
As of the writing of this article, Cuban activists and organizations have echoed Ángel Moya's denunciation, including Rosa María Payá, founder of the political initiative Cuba Decide, who called for Berta's release. Similarly, the platform Justicia 11J warned, "The leader of the #LadiesInWhite is frequently harassed, monitored, and violently detained to prevent her from carrying out her civic actions in support of political prisoners' freedom."
The CANF issued a statement demanding the liberation of the Ladies in White leader. "Berta Soler's activism is a beacon of hope for many, and her unjust imprisonment is a direct attack on freedom of expression and assembly," they noted.