Cuban government opponents say more than 100 held briefly around Human Rights Day

HAVANA – Cuban dissidents are accusing authorities of a wave of arrests surrounding International Human Rights Day.

Human rights monitor Elizardo Sanchez says more than 100 government opponents have been briefly detained.

Many of the arrested have already been sent home. One group known as the Ladies in White said Monday that they were rounded up the previous day when they held their weekly protest march. Monday is Human Rights Day

Cuba considers its small community of vocal dissidents to be traitors who take foreign money to undermine the government.

The U.S. State Department criticized what it called arbitrary detentions aimed at silencing criticism.