GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations (news - web sites)' top human rights body voted narrowly on Thursday to rebuke Cuba over its rights record and urged the Communist country to accept a visit from a special U.N. investigator.

The Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights called on Cuba to guarantee freedom of expression and religion and to begin a dialogue with Cuban political groups and thinkers to develop democratic institutions and civil liberties.

It also deplored the heavy sentences handed down to 75 dissidents rounded up a year ago, but stopped short of demanding their immediate release.

The motion, one of the most politically charged of the commission's six-week annual session, was proposed by Honduras and supported by the United States and the European Union (news - web sites)...