Cuba's arrest of several dissident activists has caused a new rift with the United States, in the first diplomatic scuffle since this month's historic announcement of a renewal in ties.
Washington condemned Havana's "lack of respect" for human rights after the communist authorities on Tuesday arrested leading figures expected at an open mic session convened for Cubans to speak out about their future.
"We are deeply concerned about the latest reports of detentions and arrests by Cuban authorities of peaceful civil society members and activists," the US State Department said in a statement on Wednesday.
"We strongly condemn the Cuban government's continued harassment and repeated use of arbitrary detention, at times with violence, to silence critics, disrupt peaceful assembly and freedom (of) expression, and intimidate citizens."
The crack-down is the first since US President Barack Obama and Cuban counterpart Raul Castro announced two weeks ago that the two countries would revive diplomatic ties severed during the Cold War and move to ease the five-decade US trade embargo.
The arrests came on the day Cuban performance artist Tania Bruguera had invited her compatriots to share their dreams for the island's future at a "participatory performance" in Revolution Square, an iconic plaza in front of Cuba's government headquarters.
Dissidents said the authorities arrested at least 10 activists, including Bruguera.
Cuban authorities have not confirmed the arrests.
The State Department said that as part of the process of normalising ties with Cuba, the US would "continue to press the Cuban government to uphold its international obligations and to respect the rights of Cubans to peacefully assemble and express their ideas and opinions".
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