A Cuban pastor disappeared under mysterious circumstances this month, adding to growing international concern over religious repression on the island. Pastor Maikel Pupu Velázquez vanished shortly after delivering epilepsy medication to a family connected to Cuba’s dissident movement, only to reappear hours later clearly traumatized and mentally distressed.
The communist regime in Cuba is reportedly seeking a ten-year prison sentence for Alexander Verdecia, a 51-year-old Christian dissident and member of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), over Facebook posts critical of the government, according to Martí Noticias. Verdecia, who has long denounced poverty and repression in his hometown of Río Cauto, was arrested in February and charged with “propaganda against the constitutional order.”
Communist-ruled Cuba has extended its “repression” of religious and faith groups, including devout Christians, in almost every area, according to a new report released Thursday.
Two Assemblies of God pastors in Cuba, Luis Guillermo Borjas and his wife, Roxana Rojas, faced a tense Sunday after their reported detention for mentioning God at their son’s military trial.
A pastor who was tortured and imprisoned in Cuba for protesting the government’s violation of human rights was released last week after serving three and half years in jail, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Communist Cuba ranks 26 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2025 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
A new report shows that the government of Cuba continued an intensifying crackdown on religious freedom, and Christianity in particular, in 2023. Published on Mar. 14, the report was compiled by the UK-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) advocacy organization.
US Baptist evangelists have reported that nearly 5,000 people responded to a call to follow Jesus Christ during a recent missionary trip they led in Cuba, CBN News reports.
Two Protestant pastors have been “arbitrarily detained” by Cuba’s internal intelligence services ahead of an event on “freedom of religion or belief” (FoRB), rights activists told Worthy News late Thursday.
Cuban authorities have still not responded to a written request by five United Nations advocates for information on Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo of the Monte de Sion Independent Church in Palma Soriano, who has been in prison since his July 2021 arrest during a peaceful protest against the communist government, Christian Headlines (CH) reports.
Cuba’s communist government has placed the President of the Christian Reformed Church of Cuba under house arrest on apparently trumped-up charges of receiving illegal goods, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports.
The European Parliament named Christian pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo among other prisoners in an urgent resolution it passed last week to denounce “systematic abuses” by Cuba’s government against citizens, Evangelical Focus (EF) reports.
Cuba’s communist authorities refuse to allow a large “house church” to reopen for worship despite easing COVID pandemic restrictions for approved churches, activists say.
Authorities in Cuba are looking to impose a 10-year prison sentence on a pastor who participated in nationwide peaceful protests against the government on July 11, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports. Currently held at the Boniato maximum security prison, Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo of the Monte de Sion Independent Church in Palma Soriano has been charged with ‘public disorder,’ and ‘disrespect’ among other offenses.
The international rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has publicly condemned a new law issued by the Cuban government which restricts freedom of speech online by criminalizing calls to peaceful protest and criticism of the government. Touted as a ‘cybersecurity law, Legal Decree 35 was published on August 17 in the wake of last month’s nationwide protests against the government.
On July 11th, a Cuban pastor by the name of Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo, and his 17-year-old son, were arrested by State Security officers during a peaceful protest against President Miguel Diaz-Canel’s televised “military order” for revolutionaries to retake the streets by force. Although Pastor Fajardo has not yet been tried or sentenced, he has now been transferred to the Boniato Maximum Security Prison outside of Santiago de Cuba.
Although numerous people remain in custody, two of the Christians who were jailed during the government crackdown on the recent nationwide protests in Cuba were released into house arrest on Saturday, Christian Today reports.
Christian pastors are among at least 100 people who have been beaten and imprisoned by the Cuban government amid nationwide protests against systemic rights violations, the severe economic crisis, and the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Christian Post reports. Pleading for help from the international community, the wife of an imprisoned pastor has called on Christians worldwide to pray for Cubans suffering government violence.
The wife of a Cuban pastor detained amid unprecedented protests against Cuba’s ruling Communists has expressed concerns about his whereabouts.
Christian leaders are reported to be among people being detained in Cuba amid rare nationwide protests about the country’s lack of freedoms and worsening economic situation, Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports. Responding to the demonstrations, Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel has called for “revolutionaries” to fight against the protestors in order to defend the ‘Revolution.’
Pastor Karel Parra Rosabal, who was arrested and detained for 10 days in Cuba on the grounds that he leads an “illegal” church, has been released and told that all charges against him have been dropped, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports. Pastor Parra Rosabal leads the unregistered Fuego y Dinámica Apostolic Church in Jobabo, Las Tunas: the Cuban government refuses to recognize and register Apostolic churches.