Cuba releases all dissidents arrested last week

HAVANA (AFP) - Cuba has released the last five of a group of 35 dissidents it arrested last week for demonstrating on behalf of a conscientious objector, a Cuban human rights group said.

A Cuban police officer takes a nap in Havana (© AFP/File)

"The last three dissidents that were jailed since Wednesday were freed on Sunday" and another two were released Friday and Saturday, Committee for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN) director Elizardo Sanchez told AFP.

Cuban police arrested and jailed 35 political dissidents in the eastern city of Camaguey, when they were marching in support of Orlando Zapata, whom Amnesty International has declared a prisoner of conscience. He has been in prison since 2003.

The protesters were briefly jailed, then 30 were released.

The demonstrators were protesting "the cruel and inhuman treatment" of Zapata. The CCDHRN said it was concerned over Zapata's health, and called for his unconditional release.

In its January annual report, the group said that there are 201 political prisoners in Cuba.

Authorities on the communist island insist there are no political prisoners, but rather US-financed "mercenaries" jailed for threatening Cuban national security.