Via BBC:
The number of political prisoners in Cuba has fallen in the past six months, according to a new report by the island’s main human rights group.
[...]
But the report also says that the authorities are continuing to take a tough line against dissidents.
It says that any change in the human rights situation remains “unlikely”.
There are an estimated 219 political prisoners currently held in Cuban jails, 15 fewer than in January this year.
But according to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCHRNR) this does not represent a fundamental change in the treatment of dissidents under Raul Castro.
Instead, the latest half yearly report by this illegal but tolerated organisation points to a change in tactics, with a marked increase in what it calls arbitrary systematic detentions.
Instead of high profile arrests and imprisonment, opponents are picked up by police, often prior to planned meetings or rallies.
They are then released without charge, usually within 24 hours. [ad#demo-advert]