Guilty dissident freed

HAVANA – A Cuban court found prominent opposition leader Darsy Ferrer guilty of purchasing black-market cement yesterday, but he was released on time served since it took nearly a year for his case to go to trial.Human rights officials said that Ferrer was arrested for a common crime officials usually overlook – or punish with a simple fine – in an attempt to silence his criticism of the government.Ferrer’s trial was closed to the media and most of the public, but his wife, Yusnaimy Jorge Soca, said he was found guilty of purchasing black-market building materials and was ordered released. He is supposed to serve the roughly four months remaining on his 15-month sentence at the couple’s Havana home.“I think what happened inside was the fair outcome. It’s what we’ve waited for since the beginning,” Jorge told reporters. (AP)