Prisoners finally get their day in court (UPDATED)

It's Castro-style justice, so justice, it's really not. But Tuesday something resembling due process was finally delivered for five political prisoners in jail since July 2005, but never formally charged with a crime.

Journalist Roberto Santana Rodríguez, in a dispatch posted at CubaNet and Payo Libre, reports that the five prisoners — René Montes de Oca Martija, Emilio Leyva Pérez, Lázaro Alonso Román, Manuel Pérez Soria and Roberto de Jesús Guerra Pérez — finally received hearings before a judge.

Prosecutors had no case, and the defense, with the facts and the arguments on its side, was well prepared. But not surprisingly, the defendants each were found guilty of the supposed crime of "public disorder," for participating in a demonstration commemorating the victims of "13th of March" tugboat massacre on July 13, 1994.

"It was judicial theater, everything was prepared beforehand," said Esther Germán, the wife of Montes de Oca.

It was a performance by the dictatorship without much of an audience. Journalist Santana reports that the only members of the public allowed in the courtroom were two family members for each prisoner.

Montes de Oca, Leyva, Alonso and Pérez Soria, were each sentenced to two years in prison. Guerra was sentenced to 1 year and 10 months.

In a move that resembles something approaching justice, the prisoners will get credit for time served. Which means Guerra is scheduled for release in May, and the others, in July, according to Santana's story.

For more on René Montes de Oca Martija, read several articles by the National Review's Jay Nordlinger. The links are here.

UPDATED, 11:43 p.m. EST

Reporters Without Borders has reaction to the 22-month sentence for Guerra, an independent journalist:

“Such a severe sentence for ‘disturbing the peace’ is in itself surprising,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Guerra was held for 19 months without being charged before being tried. We obviously hope this long period already spent behind bars will be discounted from his sentence and that he will be released soon.”

The organization added: “Prior to his arrest, Guerra was repeatedly harassed because of his journalistic activities, and the peaceful demonstration in which he took part on 13 July 2005 was just used as a pretext for imprisoning him.”