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First dissidents from new Cuban group arrive in Spain
Oct 22, 2010, 12:41 GMT
Madrid - Three Cuban dissidents arrived Friday in Spain, the first outside an initial group of 52 that Havana had agreed to release, Foreign Ministry sources said in Madrid.
Cuba agreed to release the 52 in July. So far, 39 have come to Spain, while the rest refused the offer to travel there.
Havana said recently it intends to free other dissidents as well. Three of them arrived at Madrid airport with a total of 14 family members.
They included Arturo Suarez, who was released after serving 23 years of his 30-year prison sentence. Suarez was one of the longest-serving imprisoned dissidents in Cuba.
Havana was freeing more prisoners in an attempt to persuade the European Union to soften its Cuba policy, according to Spanish analysts.
The three new dissidents came to Spain after prominent dissident Guillermo Farinas was awarded the European Parliament's 2010 Sakharov Prize on Thursday.
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