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Hunger-Striking Cuban Dissident Dies In Jail


Cuban President Raul Castro Cuba (pictured) drew international condemnation when another imprisoned dissident died in February 2010 after an 85-day hunger strike.
Cuban President Raul Castro Cuba (pictured) drew international condemnation when another imprisoned dissident died in February 2010 after an 85-day hunger strike.
A jailed Cuban dissident has died after a 50-day hunger strike to protest his imprisonement.

Rights activists said 31-year-old Wilman Villar Mendoza was serving a four-year sentence for "disobeying" authorities.

He had been arrested in November.

He died on January 19 in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba.

Cuban authorities have not commented on the case.

Cuba drew international condemnation when anothed imprisoned dissident, Orlando Zapata, died in February 2010 after an 85-day hunger strike.

Cuban authorities in December announced plans to release nearly 3,000 prisoners in an amnesty in the coming days for "humanitarian reasons." They include 86 prisoners from 25 countries, President Raul Castro said.

compiled from agency reports

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