Cuba may be starting to open itself up to the outside world, but the government “continues to repress dissent and discourage public criticism”, according to Human Rights Watch. “Repressive tactics employed by the government include beatings, public acts of shaming, and the termination of employment.” Still, as in China, the Church in Cuba is growing. Religious organisations are the only authorised assemblies, and their activities are being increasingly tolerated, opening a window of opportunity for social change through the activities of the Church.
Unity among Cuban Christians unprecedented following constitutional vote
Cuba’s vote for a new Constitution was characterised by an unusual level of opposition as well as an unprecedented unity among churches. Nearly 87% of the voters approved a new Constitution in a referendum held last Sunday (24 February), while about 15 percent stayed at home and more than 700,000 people voted […]
Cuba’s new leader ‘not a reformer’
Raúl Castro, who replaced his brother Fidel as Cuba’s president in 2006, stepped down from the post this week, ending a decades-long rule by his family. His successor, Miguel Díaz-Canel – who up until now was the country’s first vice-president – takes on an historic leadership role by becoming the […]
Cuba: Religious-freedom advocate freed after two days’ detention
A prominent Cuban religious-freedom advocate was released on Friday (2 March) after two days in detention, reports Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). Leonardo Rodríguez Alonso was arrested while on his way home from meetings with human-rights defenders on 28 February, and held without charge in the Provincial Unit for Investigations in the […]
Cuba’s religious freedom violations ‘remain high’
The latest figures on religious-rights violations in Cuba show a “general trend of a steady increase”, according to the latest report from advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). In 2017 the group recorded 325 violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Last year’s figure is lower than 2016 and 2015, when […]
Cuban Christmas: Silent night – because walls have ears
How do Christians under pressure for their faith celebrate Christmas? In the eighth in our series we hear from a Cuban church leader. Christmas in communist Cuba is a quiet affair; you won’t hear carols in the streets or on television, except for during one concert involving the Churches that […]
Cuba drops criminal charges against religious freedom activist
Cuba has dropped criminal charges against the religious freedom activist Fếlix Yuniel Llerena López, reports advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide. López, the Central Region Coordinator for the Patmos Institute, an independent civil society organisation that promotes freedom of religion or belief and inter-religious dialogue, was told on 2 October the […]
Cuba: pastor returns to work after arrest for home-schooling
A Cuban pastor has been told he is permitted to work again as a church leader, six months after he and his wife were arrested for home-schooling their children. The Cuban government had cited Article 315.1 of the country’s Penal Code, which states: “Whoever induces a minor to leave his […]
Cuba continues to restrict freedom of education
Cuba’s Center for Coexistence Studies (CEC) has once again been the target of harassment by state police, according to regional news agency Diario Las Americas. CEC was founded by Cuban Catholic intellectual Dagoberto Valdes, as a platform for citizen participation, freedom of expression, social justice and democracy for the good […]
‘Castro’s death won’t end repression of Cuban Church’
The death of Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro will not reduce the harassment and surveillance to which the Church is already subjected, an analyst at the charity Open Doors has warned. Following Castro’s death at the age of 90 on Saturday (26 Nov.), Paul Groen told World Watch Monitor: “Fidel’s […]
Christianity once considered a ‘disease’, but now ‘tolerated’ in Cuba
The ruins of a church in the town of Trinidad, in the central Cuban province of Sancti Spíritus.Cristian Viarisio / Flickr / CC Christians in Cuba used to face constant pressure from the authorities for being thought “anti-revolutionaries”. It was said that being Christian was a “disease”. They were […]