Cuba
Journalist on hunger strike to protest prisoner mistreatmentPosted Mar 12 2010
After the death of Cuban dissenter Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who protested for the freedom of Cuban prisoners, an independent journalist has decided to continue the cause.
The journalist, Guillermo Fariņas, has been without food or water since Feb. 24, a day after Tamayo died from his 85-day hunger strike. He refuses to stop his efforts until Havana releases 26 of their political prisoners.
Fariņas was taken to the hospital on March 3 after fainting, but he was later released. According to The New York Times, he is willing to die to produce change in Cuba.
The Committee to Protect Journalists continues to request the freedom of jailed journalists in Cuba, while the Spanish foreign ministry has tried to persuade the government to act before it is too late, The Associated Press reported.