Cuban authorities on Friday released dissident Darsi Ferrer and four other members of Cuba's opposition movement who had been arrested the day before while they took part in an anti-government protest, Ferrer told AFP.

No charges were filed against the five, Ferrer said.

"They freed me at midday. They never even questioned me after the arrest, which was fairly violent," said Ferrer, 41, a physician who has been arrested several times before for human rights demonstrations.

Ferrer said the group had been demonstrating for about 25 minutes when they were set upon and arrested by eight police officers and some 20 members of the state security service.

Three of the other demonstrators arrested with Ferrer were also released on Friday. Ferrer's wife, Yusnaimi Jorge, was freed a little after midnight.

"They threatened us and told us they weren't going to allow demonstrations like this," Jorge said after she was freed.

The five protestors were arrested shortly before noon Thursday while demonstrating in the middle of Havana for the right of Cubans once again to travel freely abroad.

A pro-government blog (www.yohandry.com) characterized the demonstration as a "provocative move" and accused Ferrer of being supported by CIA officers working out of the US Special Interests Section in Havana.