The European Union is “very concerned about the repression” of protests in Cuba and urges the government to release all arbitrarily detained protesters, the EU said on Thursday (29 July) in its strongest statement to date on the matter. Summary trials have begun for those detained in unprecedented protests nationwide over shortages, power outages and a lack of freedoms on 11 July, amid a deep economic crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic and US sanctions. Rights groups have reported around 700 people detained, including several minors. The government has not given its own figures yet but denies that anyone was detained simply for protesting, rather on charges of public disorder, vandalism, contempt of authorities and other offences.