Cuba to free five more political prisoners, church says

Feb 12, 2011, 12:54 GMT

Havana - Cuba's communist government has agreed to free five further opposition figures or political prisoners from prison, Catholic church and dissident sources said late Friday in Havana.

The Havana Archdiocese said the release came after mediation undertaken by the church.

Dissident sources said one person had already been freed, Eduardo Diaz Fleitas, 59, who was taken to his home in the western province of Pinar del Rio.

The Archdiocese said that in addition, four other prisoners who had been sentenced for 'piracy' and 'sabotage' were being freed after they had agreed to leaving the country for Spain.

The four are not regarded as belonging to Cuba's opposition movement, but are regarded by dissidents as being political prisoners nonetheless.

The Archdiocese also said the release of Hector Maseda, 68, was imminent. He is the husband of Laura Pollan, the head of the opposition group 'Damas de Blanco' (ladies in white).

Both Diaz Fleitas and Maseda have rejected being sent into exile in Spain, such as has been the case with dozens of freed political dissidents over the past few months.

Maseda has rejected his being freed before three other ailing prisoners are also set free, according to the Cuban Human Rights and National Reconciliation Commission CCDHRN.

Diaz Fleitas and Maseda were among a group of 75 opposition figures who in March 2003, during the so-called 'black Spring,' were sentenced to prison terms of up to 28 years for being alleged 'mercenaries' of the United States.

With the release of Diaz Fleitas, nine members of this group still remain in prison.

Read more about Cuba Politics