Is there change in Cuba?

Here’s the Cuba summary from the 2007 U.S. Department of State’s Report on Human Rights Practices – you decide.

The government continued to deny its citizens their basic human rights and committed numerous, serious abuses. The government denied citizens the right to change their government. There were at least 240 political prisoners and detainees held at year’s end. As many as 5,000 citizens served sentences for “dangerousness,” with no more specific criminal behavior charged. The following human rights problems were reported: unlawful killings; killings, beatings, and abuse of detainees and prisoners, including human rights activists, carried out with impunity; harsh and life?threatening prison conditions, including denial of medical care; harassment, beatings, and threats against political opponents by government?recruited mobs, police, and state security officials; arbitrary arrest and detention of human rights advocates and members of independent professional organizations; denial of fair trial, and interference with privacy, including pervasive monitoring of private communications. There were also severe limitations on freedom of speech and press; denial of peaceful assembly and association; restrictions on freedom of movement, including selective denial of exit permits to citizens and the forcible removal of persons from Havana to their home towns; and refusal to recognize domestic human rights groups or permit them to function legally. Domestic violence, underage prostitution, sex tourism, discrimination against persons of African descent, and severe restrictions on worker rights, including the right to form independent unions, were also problems.

The millions of tourists, the visiting dignitaries, the U.N. conciliators, and declarations of respect for Human Rights by the regime have not improved conditions in Cuba. By what logic can anyone make an argument for lifting the sanctions?
Read the entire report here.