Cuba to release third of political prisoners

Cuba has promised the Catholic Church it will free 52 political prisoners, slashing the number it holds by nearly a third in what would be the communist-run island’s largest release of dissidents since Pope John Paul II visited in 1998.

Five would be released initially to go into exile in Spain, while the others would be freed over the next three or four months, said Havana’s archbishop, Cardinal Jaime Ortega.