HAVANA, Jan 22 (Reuter) - Authorities in Cuba on Tuesday detained three dissidents involved in trying to produce independent economic reports and independent journalism, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.
At least two of the three had been released by Wednesday afternoon after questioning by police, the sources said.
The sources said Marta Beatriz Roque, director of an organization called the Association of Independent Economists, and two independent journalists, Tania Quintero and Juan Antonio Sanchez, were detained on Tuesday afternoon near the Czech Embassy, which they apparently had been visiting.
Roque, whose group produces economic analysis, and Quintero were released on Wednesday, the sources said, adding Sanchez was still thought to be held for investigation.
Quintero and Sanchez are part of a small group of journalists in Cuba who try to produce journalism outside the state-controlled media and who have formed a series of independent news agencies, which are viewed as illegal in Cuba.
The detentions coincided with a 24-hour visit by Canada's Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy.
Axworthy, asked about the detentions at a news conference just before he left, said he had raised them with Cuban officials and had subsequently been assured of their release.
Axworthy referred to just two dissidents who were detained and later released.
There was no confirmation of the detentions by Cuban authorities, who rarely comment on cases involving the island's small and illegal opposition groups.
21:11 01-22-97