Cuban activist Berta Soler, leader of the Ladies in White and recipient of the Sakharov Prize, was released on Wednesday morning after nearly three days of arbitrary detention by State Security.
Opposition figure and former political prisoner Ángel Moya, Soler's husband, reported that the arrest occurred on Sunday, September 22, as Soler was leaving the organization's headquarters in Lawton, Havana. She was first taken to the Aguilera Police Unit and then transferred to the Cotorro Unit.
During her detention, the head of the largest female opposition group in Cuba was held in dimly lit cells, deprived of water, and without access to her Bible, Moya disclosed. At 7:00 am on Wednesday, she was released without any charges or fines, and she did not receive any threats while in custody, Moya clarified.
The news of her arrest had alarmed both family members and fellow activists, as Moya confirmed there was no police record of the detention. Prior to her arrest, Berta Soler had received threats from a known repressor called "Felo," who warned her of potential imprisonment if she attended a protest.
Despite the threats, Soler remained resolute, declaring in a live broadcast, "I will be on the streets, and only God knows what might happen. There is no deal with the repressor."
International Response
The Cuban American National Foundation (FNCA) issued a statement demanding her release, highlighting that Berta's activism is a beacon of hope and that her unjust detention represents an assault on freedom of expression and assembly.