03 February 2011

CUBA: 2 Freed Dissidents Refuse To Leave Isla, Begin Hunger Strike Instead.

AFP/
    Diosdado Gonzalez and Pedro Arguelles -- called prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International-- began hunger strikes Tuesday after refusing a move to Spain and demanding instead to be released in Cuba.
     Their announcement came as the Catholic Church said Cuba would release four other prisoners charged with piracy and ship them off to Spain.
   They are part of 52 political detainees who were to be freed in a deal brokered by the Catholic Church with Raul Castro in July.
   Of the group, 40 agreed to emigrate to Spain with their families (pictured above) and one stayed in Cuba, but the remaining 11 are still in jail and refuse to be exiled.