Cuban dissident released after third arrest in two days

HAVANA: Cuban dissident Guillermo Farinas was released on Saturday following his third arrest in 48 hours, the German Press Agency DPA reported.

Farinas and 20 other opposition activists were arrested Friday while on their way to a memorial to national hero José Martí. Before his release, Farinas was admitted to the hospital with chest pains, his mother told the news agency.

Farinas, 49, was also arrested Thursday along with several other opposition activists, who had been inquiring after three arrested dissidents. A day earlier, he was detained for six hours for taking part in a protest in Santa Clara. He was later released without charge.

Farinas, a trained psychologist, was awarded the European Parliament's prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in December. He was not allowed to travel to collect it. Cuban authorities accuse him of being a traitor for serving the interests of the United States.

He has carried out 22 hunger strikes. The latest one ended in July after more than 130 days when 52 political prisoners were released.

(BNO NEWS )