The Cuban government failed to respond to a request from five United Nations human rights advocates for information about the treatment and continued detention of a Protestant pastor who has been held seven months.
The Special Procedures—human rights experts tasked by the UN to investigate and report on human rights around the world—submitted a joint communication on Dec. 16, 2021, asking for information within 60 days about Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo, pastor of the Monte de Sion Independent Church in Palma Soriano.
Fajardo was arrested after participating in peaceful protests in July 2021. During his initial detention at the Versalles State Security facility, he reportedly was beaten and urinated on by guards, and he lost a tooth due to the physical abuse.
The following month, he was moved to Boniato Maximum Security Prison, where he remains. He was tried in December on charges of “disrespect,” criminal incitement and public disorder. He has not been sentenced yet, but at one point his wife was told he faced up to 10 years in prison.
‘Detention, disappearance, mistreatment and prosection’
“Without intending to prejudge the veracity of the information received, we wish to express our profound concern at the detention, subsequent short-term forced disappearance, mistreatment and prosecution of Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo for his participation in peaceful protests. We regret in particular that he has been detained incommunicado, subjected to forced disappearance for three days, and that even today he has very limited contact with his relatives,” the joint communication stated.
It also raised concerns regarding alleged threats, torture and other mistreatment the pastor reportedly suffered at the hands of Cuban State Security.
The joint communication called on the government to provide information about why the pastor was arrested, justification for the charges against him, and an explanation why he was held incommunicado.
The UN Special Procedures also asked for information about the detention of the pastor’s son David, and the targeting of his church.
Signatories of the joint communication were Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; Luciano Hazan, Chair-Rapporteur of the working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression; Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on minority issues; and Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
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‘Disappointed, if not surprised’ by Cuban silence
In September, Christian Solidarity Worldwide presented a petition with more than 2,000 signatures to Cuban Ambassador Barbara Montalva Alvarez at the country’s embassy in London, demanding the release of Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo.
Anna Lee Stangl, head of advocacy for CSW, said her organization was “disappointed, if not surprised” the Cuban government failed to respond to the joint communication from the UN Special Procedures.
“This failure to respond is another example of their total disregard for international norms and laws protecting fundamental human rights and their continued refusal to allow for any transparency in regard to the case, in or outside of Cuba,” Stangl said.
“We continue to call for the pastor’s immediate and unconditional release and urge the international community to maintain intense scrutiny on his case and the wider situation of human rights in Cuba.”
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