The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Thursday, May 27:

Having been loudly condemned around the world for the sudden and massive crackdown that sent 75 journalists and human-rights activists to prison last year, the Cuban government is trying a stealth approach this time around. Without much fanfare, it has once again sought to repress the island’s brave and stubborn dissident movement by subjecting Cubans who have dared to criticize the government to the usual kangaroo courts – resulting in the usual convictions for engaging in activity that in any democratic country would fall under the protection of free speech.

The latest victims of this bare-knuckled tactic were Orlando Zapata Tamayo, Raul Arencibia Fajardo and Virgilio Marante Guelmes, all of whom were sentenced to three years in prison after languishing in jail since their arrest in December 2002. They were detained while attending a meeting organized by Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet at a private home in Havana to study the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Dr. Biscet is a leading Afro-Cuban physician and human-rights leader who was sent to prison for 25 years in the earlier crackdown.

Prior to these convictions last week, other opposition leaders also had become targets of the government. On May 5, three Cubans who had been held in jail for more than two years for publicly demanding the release of political prisoners received sentences of up to five years, including time served. And in April, yet another group of 10 Cubans was condemned for protesting the beating of an independent journalist in Ciego de Avila. These critics were arrested in March 2002 in front of a hospital. Some were sent to prison for up to seven years.

Yet despite the fact that Cuba has jailed more journalists per capita than any other nation in the world, new adherents join the dissident movement every day. According to published accounts, more than a dozen new writers have joined the various independent-media organizations in the last few months, and more will surely follow them.

This is a difficult lesson for totalitarian regimes to learn. Those who seek the truth are not intimidated by threats or beatings or incarceration because conscience will not let them stand by while freedom is stifled.

In Mexico this weekend, Cuba will attend a summit meeting of nations from Latin America and Europe. If these nations believe in the cause of freedom, they would do well to condemn Cuba for the contempt that it continues to show for human rights and demand the release of all political prisoners on the island.