A murales that rapresents Orlando Zapata (Photo by wikicommons)

The Cuban dissident, arrested in 2003 over "insult to the figure of Fidel Castro", died at his 85th day of hunger strike against the abuses and tortures he was submitted to. The authorities decided to take him to the hospital when it was too late and his health was damaged. 25 people heading to his funerals have been arrested. Other thirty opponents are blocked inside their homes.

Zapata was a "prisoner of conscience" according to Amnesty International. Elizardo Sánchez, chairman of the illegal Comisión de Derechos Humanos y Reconciliación Nacional (Cdhrn), says "this can be considered a murder with a legal appearance".

Zapata's death stirred the grief and indignation of the whole democratic world. Spain, Brazil, the US and many other Countries required the release of all Cuban political prisoners.