The tax evasion trial of Ukraine's former PM Yulia Tymoshenko, imprisoned on separate charges critics say were politically motivated, was postponed on Saturday until May 21. Tymoshenko had asked for a trial delay due to health reasons.
Activist Bertha Soler (centre) and dozens of others from the Ladies in White dissident group were detained Sunday in Havana ahead of a weekly march calling for the release of political prisoners. Many were later released; Soler remains in custody.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday the United States will "start the process" of exchanging ambassadors with Burma after almost two decades following recent reforms by Yangon, including the release of hundreds of political prisoners.
Hundreds of political detainees were freed from jails across Burma Friday in the latest move by the government to introduce reforms. In response, the United States said it was ready to consider exchanging ambassadors with Yangon.
Cuban President Raul Castro (pictured, left) on Friday announced plans to pardon over the next few days some 3,000 prisoners, including 86 foreigners from 25 countries, for "humanitarian reasons".
A spokesman for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy has said his party feels "frustrated" that the Burmese government only released some 200 political prisoners on Wednesday, with many more still locked up.
Burma freed dozens of "prisoners of conscience" Wednesday as it began an amnesty for 6,359 inmates. The US, Europe and Australia have made the release of thousands of political detainees a prerequisite to talks on lifting crippling sanctions.
Bahrain has released 23 Shiite activists held for terrorism and dropped charges against two others exiled abroad, including opposition leader Hassan Mashaima. Releasing political prisoners is a key demand of anti-government protesters.
An amnesty for political prisoners held under ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali came into force on Saturday and some 3,000 prisoners have already been conditionally released. The amnesty was approved at a cabinet meeting on Friday.
Cuban authorities released dissident Guillermo Farinas Friday, after his third detention in 48 hours. Farinas said he had been arrested along with other opposition figures for trying to prevent the eviction of a squatter family.
