Free Hyland

Richard E. Hyland '69-70, former Harvard student, former Crimson editor, and former Harvard radical leader, is in prison in Mexico, accused of conspiracy against the Mexican government. He can be held for as long as a year without a trial, and can be convicted on almost no evidence at the will of the Mexican government--for Mexican conspiracy laws are even more shoddy and loosely defined than American laws.

Of the facts in Dick's case, we know nothing and do not presume to judge. But it seems apparent that he is being held--and may be given a brutal sentence--simply for being disliked by the Mexican government, or for associating with persons who were disliked by the Mexican government. He is a political prisoner.

This newspaper has called repeatedly for freedom for all political prisoners, both in the United States and elsewhere. We renew this call for one of our own, and ask the Mexican government to free Hyland and those who were arrested with him. We ask all those in the community who agree with us to sign a petition which will be circulated in the next few days, urging that Dick Hyland be freed.