Cuban dissident sentenced to 6 years in prison

Cuban dissident Víctor Paino Viera, in jail since October, was sentenced last week to 6 years in prison.

Details of what exactly landed Paino in trouble — other than his presumed opposition to dictatorship and tyranny — were not available. However, independent journalist Leafar Pérez's account does offer some clues as to how big a farce the government's case against Paino was.

First off, the "trial" was closed to the public, except for Paino's wife and mother. And apparently the case was so weak and the evidence so lacking, that Paino — who had originally faced charges of "contempt," "attacking authority" and "resistance" — was convicted only of "attacking."

According to Perez's report, Paino, of Piñar del Rio, is coordinator of the Independent Change Union and a member of the New Nation Alliance.