Cuba's communist authorities are to free at least 52 political prisoners, say Catholic Church officials in Havana.
Observers see the move - Cuba's largest mass release of prisoners of conscience for decades - as a major concession.
It follows talks with Church and Spanish officials.
The government has been under pressure to free dissidents since a prisoner on hunger strike died in February: a second is said to be close to death.
Cuba has always denied that it has political prisoners, calling them mercenaries paid by the United States to undermine Havana's rule, says the BBC's Michael Voss in the capital.
But President Raul Castro has been stung by the strength of international criticism following the death Orlando Zapata Tamayo in February, our correspondent adds.
The Church has increasingly become an important mediator regarding the prisoners.
'Destination Spain'Agreement to release the prisoners came after talks between Mr Castro and Church leader Cardinal Jaime Ortega.
Visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos and his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez were also present.
They discussed prisoners and the case of Guillermo Farinas, the dissident who has been refusing food since February while demanding the release of political prisoners.
Cardinal Ortega said five detainees would be freed later on Wednesday and the remaining 47 within the next few months.
The five being released would be allowed "shortly to depart for Spain, accompanied by their relatives", a Church statement said.
Human rights activists estimate that after the 57 releases, Cuba will still have about 100 political prisoners.
'Facing death'There was no immediate word from Mr Farinas, 48, who has been fed intravenously in hospital.
Recent news of his condition was reported in Cuban state media, which usually ignore dissident protests.
The official communist party newspaper Granma published an interview with the doctor leading his treatment, Armando Caballero.
Dr Caballero said the patient had actually gained weight due to intravenous feeding since being moved to hospital on 11 March after collapsing at his home in Santa Clara.
But a blood clot had formed in his neck and could interrupt the flow of blood to his heart, the doctor said.
Speaking on Saturday, he added that Mr Farinas was also suffering from an infection that could make further intravenous feeding impossible but said he would not be force-fed as that was against medical ethics.
