Court upholds sentence of imprisoned Cuban pastor

Cuban Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo is pictured with his wife Maridilegnis Carballo. He has been imprisoned since July 2021 for his involvement in peaceful demonstrations. (Photo courtesy of CSW)

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A Cuban court reportedly upheld the sentence of a Protestant pastor who was convicted of charges related to peaceful protests last summer.

Pastor Lorenzo Fajardo and 14 others had appealed their convictions on charges stemming from the nationwide protests on July 11, 2021.

During the June 22-23 court hearings, only the prosecution’s side was allowed to present evidence, the Christian Solidarity Worldwide human rights organization reported. All the sentences were upheld.

“This is a farce,” Maridilegnis Carballo, the pastor’s wife, told CSW.

Last month, the Cuban government notified Fajardo’s family he had been sentenced to seven years in prison. Previously, a document the government sent to the United Nations indicated he had been sentenced to eight years.

The document the Cuban government sent to the UN claimed Fajardo, pastor of the nondenominational Monte de Sion Church in Palma Soriano, was involved in a violent attack on the Cuban Communist Party headquarters in Palma Soriano that left several people wounded.

Fajardo disputed the charge, pointing to video and photographic evidence that showed armed police and Black Beret paramilitary personnel attacking him and other unarmed peaceful protesters.

During Fajardo’s initial detention at Versalles State Security, he reportedly was beaten by guards and lost a tooth due to physical abuse. The following month, he was moved to Boniato Maximum Security Prison.

Anna Lee Stangl, head of advocacy for CSW, said her organization was “disappointed but not surprised” Cuban authorities rejected Fajardo’s appeal.


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“They have continued to inflict misery on this innocent man and his family, as well as many others who should never have been imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights to peaceful association and assembly,” Stangl said.

CSW continues to “call on the authorities to reconsider this unjust decision” and to release Lorenzo and others detained in relation to last summer’s peaceful protests, she said. The international community should continue to follow the case and hold Cuba accountable, she added.


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