There are more than 1,260 political prisoners in Cuba.

Error detected

The claim states 'more than 1,260,' but the Prisoners Defenders report of 14 May 2026 documents exactly 1,260 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, not more. The 'more than' (oltre) is a slight overstatement of the documented figure.

Omissions

• The claim does not cite any source, though the figure of 1,260 closely matches the Prisoners Defenders report published on 14 May 2026, just five days before the session.
• There is significant variation in political prisoner counts depending on the methodology and definition used: Human Rights Watch, citing Justicia 11J and Prisoners Defenders themselves, reported in April 2026 that 'over 700 political prisoners remain behind bars,' suggesting a narrower definition of those physically incarcerated versus the broader list of 1,260 that may include those under other forms of judicial restriction or surveillance.
• The Cuban government does not officially recognise any of these individuals as political prisoners; the count comes exclusively from independent human rights organisations.

Sources

• SecondaryPrisoners DefendersPrisoners Defenders documents 1,260 political prisoners in Cuba with 23 new ones in April 2026, an absolute record. The report details torture, sexual assaults, and death threats.
• SecondaryPrisoners DefendersCuba closed 2025 with 134 new political prisoners and 1,197 in total. 10 new political prisoners in December bring the total to 1,197.
• SecondaryPrisoners Defenders28 new political prisoners in February 2026, with 21 removed from the list, bringing the total to 1,214.
• SecondaryHuman Rights WatchOver 700 political prisoners remain behind bars in Cuba, according to groups like Justicia 11J and Prisoners Defenders, and hundreds more face politically motivated prosecutions while at liberty.