HAVANA -- (AFP) -- Thirteen dissidents detained by authorities this week have
             been freed without being charged with any crime, but with a warning to stay out of
             protest demonstrations, a leading dissident said Thursday.

             Elizardo Sanchez, head of the Cuban Commission of Human Rights and National
             Conciliation, said the dissidents were held from 12 to 48 hours and released in the
             past few days.

             Nancy de Varona, Miriam Garcia, Ofelia Nardo and Vicky Ruiz were released
             Tuesday night, Sanchez said. Others reported freed were Oscar Eliecer Biset,
             Miriam Cantillo, Lazaro Constantino, Matilde Garcia, Maria de los Angeles
             Gonzalez, Luis Lopez, Roberto de Miranda, Leonel Morejon Almagro and
             Rolando Muñoz.

             Dissident sources said the detentions appeared to have been linked to a brief
             anti-government demonstration outside a Havana court where dissident Reynaldo
             Alfaro was sentenced to prison Aug. 28.

             The sources said the detentions also appeared to be related to a religious
             procession through Havana streets on Tuesday in honor of Cuba's patron saint,
             Our Lady of Charity.

             ``They were all freed without being charged, but all said they were questioned only
             on those two subjects [the protest and the religious procession],'' Sanchez said.