Berta Soler, leader of the opposition group Ladies in White, and her husband, former political prisoner Ángel Moya Acosta, have been subjected to house arrest for 48 days. This was confirmed by the couple themselves to the EFE news agency. The Cuban regime imposed this restriction following their participation in a religious event alongside the head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana.
Moya reported to EFE on Saturday, "Our phones were confiscated and searched without our consent." Adding to the pressure, the organization's headquarters in the Havana neighborhood of Lawton is under siege and without Internet access. Defiantly, he declared, "Tomorrow (Sunday) we will leave because we do not accept house arrest, our headquarters is not a jail cell, and we reject it morally and ethically."
Last Thursday, the couple was apprehended in public by State Security agents, who informed them they were under investigation for "threatening the established constitutional order" by meeting with foreign officials. They were taken separately to police stations and held for over 24 hours before being released under the condition of house arrest.
Religious Gathering Sparks Regime's Reaction
The arrest was prompted by their attendance at Palm Sunday Mass in Havana with Mike Hammer, the chargé d'affaires at the U.S. Embassy. The presence of the American diplomat at the service was heavily monitored. Moya alleged that State Security agents filmed Soler and Hammer exiting a diplomatic vehicle, a common intimidation tactic in recent years.
The regime interpreted the diplomat's presence as a symbolic endorsement of the peaceful activism embodied by the Ladies in White.
Ongoing Repression Against Dissidents
Since its inception in 2003, the Ladies in White have faced relentless persecution by the Cuban regime. Emerging from the mass arrests of the Black Spring, the group is recognized for wearing white and staging peaceful marches after attending church services, demanding the release of political prisoners.
Soler, a prominent figure in the movement, has repeatedly highlighted nearly weekly arbitrary detentions, primarily on Sundays, when they attempt to attend church to practice their religious freedom. This recent arrest follows a long-standing pattern of surveillance, violence, and harassment documented over more than two decades.
Isolation and Lack of Basic Rights
Beyond the enforced isolation, the headquarters of the Ladies in White remains surrounded by police, restricting the free movement of its members. Despite these constraints, Soler and Moya have reaffirmed their dedication to the peaceful struggle for human rights and civil liberties in Cuba.
International Support for Cuban Activists
Mike Hammer's attendance at the mass and his close ties with the Cuban dissidents are viewed as attempts to bolster U.S. diplomatic support for civil society. Since his arrival in the island in November 2024, he has engaged with activists, religious leaders, and independent artists.
The plight of Soler and Moya has raised alarms among international human rights organizations, which continue to call for an end to the repression of those peacefully exercising their constitutional rights. The ongoing crackdown highlights the regime's steadfast policy against dissenting voices, where social and political control remains a top priority.
Despite the passage of time since their founding, the Ladies in White continue to face repression, fines, and arrests, underscoring the high cost of dissent in Cuba.
Key Questions about Cuban Dissidents' House Arrest
What prompted the house arrest of Berta Soler and Ángel Moya?
The Cuban regime placed Berta Soler and Ángel Moya under house arrest following their participation in a religious service with Mike Hammer, the head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana.
How have the Ladies in White been targeted by the Cuban regime?
Since 2003, the Ladies in White have been subjected to constant repression, including surveillance, violence, and arbitrary detentions, primarily on Sundays when they attend church services.
What has been the international response to the situation of Soler and Moya?
International human rights organizations have expressed concern and called for an end to the repression of those peacefully exercising their constitutional rights in Cuba.