( CNN ) -- Cuban authorities detained dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez along with two others as she traveled to cover the trial of a Spanish politician accused of killing a prominent dissident , a human rights activist told CNN on Friday . A family member of the well-known blogger said that Sanchez , her husband , Reinaldo Escobar , and another blogger , Agustin Diaz , were arrested in the eastern Cuban city of Bayamo on Thursday , activist and dissident Elizardo Sanchez told CNN en EspaÃ±ol . Yoani Sanchez and her two companions were destined for Bayamo , where the trial of Spanish politician Angel Carromero was scheduled to begin Friday . She was covering the trial for Spain 's leading newspaper , El Pais , which also reported on its website that she had been detained . Spanish politician charged in dissident 's death . But Sanchez never arrived at her destination , and her cell phone was disconnected , Elizardo Sanchez said . CNN has not independently confirmed the arrests . Cuban officials declined to comment on reports of her arrest . A pro-government blogger known as Yohandry Fontana , who is considered a counterbalance to Yoani Sanchez , said that Sanchez intended to put on a `` media show '' in Bayamo and disrupt Carromero 's trial . The U.S. State Department called the arrest the `` latest crackdown '' on journalists . `` We are deeply disturbed by the Cuban government 's repeated use of arbitrary detention to silence critics , disrupt peaceful assembly , and impede independent journalism , '' State Department spokesman William Ostick said . Carromero is facing a vehicular homicide charge for a car crash that killed prominent Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya . He could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if found guilty . He is accused of speeding and then losing control of a car that he , Paya , Swedish politician Jans Aron Modig and Cuban dissident Harold Cepero were traveling in . Paya and Cepero were killed when the car struck a tree near Las Gavinas , Cuba , in July . After Paya 's death , his family immediately accused Cuban authorities of foul play and said they had received information that another vehicle had forced the car Paya was in off the road . The Cuban government has denied any involvement in Paya 's death . El Pais said that it had lost contact with Yoani Sanchez and that a Cuban photographer , Orlando Luis Pardo , said he had spoken with her son , who had received a call from her confirming her detention . Sanchez gained international attention for her blog `` Generation Y , '' which gets about 1 million hits a month . Freedom of speech is limited on the communist island nation , whose media is controlled by the government . `` The arrest of these journalists clearly indicates that the Cuban government continues its practice of punishing independent reporting , '' said Carlos Lauria , senior Americas program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists . `` Cuban authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Sanchez , Escobar and DÃ­az and allow all Cuban reporters to report without fear of intimidation . '' In 2008 , Time magazine named Sanchez one of the world 's 100 most influential people . CNN 's Carlos Montero contributed to this report .
NEW : Bayamo is `` deeply disturbed '' by reports of the arrest . Cepero was headed to Cuba , The United States , to cover a trial . Activists and the newspaper who hired her say she was arrested . A Spanish politician is on trial for vehicular homicide for a wreck that killed 100 .