Cuban Blogger Yoani Sanchez and Husband Arrested

Yoani Sanchez's blog gets more than 14 million hits a month. (EFE)

BAYAMO, Cuba – Cuban dissident blogger Yoani Sánchez and her husband were arrested Friday while on their way to the city of Bayamo, east of the island. They were planning to attend the trial of Angel Carromero, the Spanish activist accused of negligent homicide for the death of two government opponents, including prominent dissident Oswaldo Payá.

According to pro-government blogger Yohandry Fontana, Sánchez and Reinaldo Escobar were arrested while trying to create "a provocation and media show" and "disrupt" the trial of Carromero.

Calls by the AP to the 37-year old writer went unanswered, but human rights monitor Elizardo Sánchez in Havana also reported the detentions of Sánchez, her husband, Reinaldo Escobar and a third man in the vehicle. He said at least a half-dozen other dissidents in and around Bayamo also were detained.

The government has not confirmed the detentions and rarely does in such cases.

The critically-acclaimed writer of the blog "Generation Y" had traveled to Bayamo to reportedly throw her support behind Carromero, who now faces up to 10 years in prison. The Spaniard has said he lost control upon driving into an unpaved section of road, and the vehicle skidded into a tree.

Through her blog "Generation Y" and other writings, Sánchez has become Cuba's best-known dissident and has won various awards overseas, but is never allowed out of Cuba to collect them.

Last week it was reported she had filed a complaint against Cuba with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission for repeatedly refusing to grant her a travel visa.

Based on reporting by the Associated Press and EFE.

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