Havana , Cuba ( CNN ) -- Friends , family members and fellow dissidents on Tuesday buried Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas , a prominent critic of Cuba 's socialist government . Dissident organizations reported that dozens of anti-government activists were arrested as they made their way to Paya 's funeral . Video showed police pushing several dissidents into buses . The Cuban government Tuesday did not immediately respond to CNN 's inquiries regarding the arrests . Payá , 60 , and another dissident Harold Cepero Escalante died Sunday after the car they were traveling in crashed near La Gavina , Cuba . Two other men in the car , Spanish politician Angel Carromero and Swedish politician Aron Modig , survived and were released from the hospital on Monday . Carromero was behind the wheel when the rental car crashed said Francisco de Borja Morate Martín , a counselor in the Spanish Embassy in Havana . `` He is very shaken psychologically , '' he said . The diplomat said that on Tuesday Carromero was , for a second day , speaking to Cuban police and was being assisted by Spain 's consul to Cuba . Carromero 's testimony could be key to determining how Payá , one of Cuba 's best known dissidents , died . On Sunday , family members told CNN that the car he was had been run off the road by another , apparently on purpose . Details of deadly crash disputed . But a statement released by the Cuban government on Sunday said witnesses to the crash reported the car had lost control on its own and crashed into a tree . Oswaldo Payá was a long standing thorn in the side of Cuba 's government , which considers dissidents to be paid mercenaries who have betrayed their own country . In 2003 , Payá received the European Parliament 's Sakharov prize for freedom of expression . The award is named for Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov and is awarded to those who work to promote human rights and democracy . The Varela Project , a signature drive led by Payá , delivered thousands of signed petitions asking for changes to Cuba 's political system . The initiative was largely ignored by Cuba 's leaders , but former President Jimmy Carter highlighted Payá 's work during his trip to Cuba , the first made by a former U.S. president to Cuba since the 1959 revolution . Amid the questions that swirl around Payá 's death , some of his fellow dissidents called for an end to the conspiracy theories and for a transparent investigation into how he died . `` He tried to carry out reform in a nonviolent way , '' said fellow dissident Elizardo Sanchez . `` It turns out that he died in a violent way ; an absurd and strange accident . '' According to a government statement , Cuban police are investigating the circumstances of Paya 's death . Cuban doctors battle to control cholera outbreak .
Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas died in Sunday car crash . Dozens of anti-government activists arrested on their way to Payá 's funeral . Cuban police said they are investigating the circumstances of Paya 's death .