Una solicitud de medidas cautelares fue presentada hoy con la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos en nombre del reverendo Yiorvis Bravo Denis y miembros del Movimiento Apostólico cuya propiedad ha sido confiscada arbitrariamente por el gobierno cubano. Por otra parte, los miembros del Movimiento Apostólico, una red religiosa que las autoridades cubanas han negado a registrar, siguen siendo objeto de intimidación y acoso por parte del gobierno cubano. Reverendo Bravo Denis ha estado luchando contra el gobierno cubano durante dos años por su derecho a ser reconocido como el propietario legal de la propiedad, que también actúa como la sede nacional del Movimiento Apostólico. Reverendo Bravo Denis está representado por Poblete Tamargo, un despacho de abogados con sede en EEUU.
"El caso muestra otro ejemplo de la intimidación en marcha en Cuba patrocinada por el Estado, al menos desde 2007", dijo Jason Poblete, un abogado que lleva el caso Poblete Tamargo.
"La situación se traducirá en la pérdida de un hogar y la iglesia de Rev. Bravo Denis, a su familia ya los miembros del movimiento apostólico. Además, dará lugar a un daño psicológico y físico permanente de los miembros del Movimiento Apostólico. Los funcionarios del Partido Comunista ni siquiera se esconden el hecho de que se dirigen a este grupo ", añadió Poblete.
Mervyn Thomas, director ejecutivo de CSW dijo: "Tenemos la esperanza de que la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos investigará plenamente este caso y llamar al gobierno cubano para dar cuenta de intentar desalojar arbitrariamente Rev. Bravo Denis y su familia de su casa. Nos espero que esto sentará un precedente para otros casos en los que el gobierno ha dirigidas ilegalmente la propiedad de los grupos religiosos en un esfuerzo para castigarlos o restringir su crecimiento e impacto. Estamos agradecidos a Poblete Tamargo por asumir este caso y tener la máxima admiración por Rev. Bravo Denis que ha dado un paso adelante para reclamar sus derechos y exponer públicamente las acciones del gobierno cubano ".
La propiedad perteneció originalmente al ex preso de conciencia, el reverendo Omar Gude Pérez, y su esposa Kenia Denis. Ellos legalmente transferidos a la propiedad Rev. Bravo Denis, sobrino Kenia Denis ', antes de aceptar el asilo y mudarse a los EE.UU. en enero de 2013.
CUBA: REQUEST FOR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE FILED BEFORE THE INTER-AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ON BEHALF OF CUBAN PASTOR
A Request for Precautionary Measures was filed today with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission on behalf of Reverend Yiorvis Bravo Denis and members of the Apostolic Movement whose property has been arbitrarily confiscated by the Cuban government. Furthermore, the members of Apostolic Movement, a religious network which the Cuban authorities have refused to register, continue to be the subject of intimidation and harassment by the Cuban government. Reverend Bravo Denis has been fighting the Cuban government for two years for his right to be recognised as the legal owner of his property which also acts as the national headquarters of the Apostolic Movement. Reverend Bravo Denis is represented by Poblete Tamargo, a US-based law practice.
“The case shows another example of state-sponsored intimidation underway in Cuba since at least 2007,” said Jason Poblete, an attorney leading the case with Poblete Tamargo.
“The situation will result in loss of a home and church to Rev. Bravo Denis, his family and to members of the Apostolic movement. Furthermore, it will lead to permanent psychological and physical harm of Apostolic Movement members. The Communist Party officials are not even hiding the fact that they are targeting this group,” Poblete added.
Mervyn Thomas, CEO of CSW said, "We are hopeful that the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights will fully investigate this case and call the Cuban government to account for attempting to arbitrarily evict Rev. Bravo Denis and his family from their home. We hope that this will set a precedent for other cases where the government has illegally targeted the property of religious groups in an effort to punish them or to restrict their growth and impact. We are grateful to Poblete Tamargo for taking on this case and have the utmost admiration for Rev. Bravo Denis who has stepped forward to claim his rights and to publicly expose the actions of the Cuban government.”
The property originally belonged to former prisoner of conscience, Reverend Omar Gude Perez, and his wife Kenia Denis. They legally transferred the ownership to Rev. Bravo Denis, Kenia Denis’ nephew, before accepting asylum and moving to the US in January 2013.
On 18 September 2013, Rev. Bravo Denis was cited to appear at the Ministry of Justice in Camagüey along with Reverend Gude Perez. In a 20-minute court hearing it was decided that despite all the legal, notarised documents proving the legal ownership of the property, Rev. Bravo Denis and his family should be evicted and the government should take over ownership.
The court decision was followed by government-organised 'acts of repudiation' targeting the home of Rev. Bravo Denis and his family. State security agents, police and paramilitaries dressed as civilians surrounded the house for days, shouting insults, throwing rocks, eggs and other hard objects in an attempt to force them out of the house. On the evening of 26 October 2013, Rev. Bravo Denis received a summons to appear at the Ministry of Housing at 9:30 am the following day, a Sunday, outside of normal government working hours. At this meeting, Rev. Bravo Denis was told that he could stay in the property if he agreed to submit all church activities in advance to government officials for approval. He was also asked to pay the government 300CUC (US$300) and to acknowledge that the government was the true owner of the property. Rev. Bravo Denis continued to assert his legal ownership of the property and refused these conditions. Since then, the Cuban government has continued to threaten the family with eviction.
CSW believes the targeting of this property is part of a wider aggressive campaign by the Cuban government to eliminate certain religious groups from the island. In 2010, Caridad Diego, the head of the Office for Religious Affairs for the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party was caught on video vowing that the government would target Cuban leaders of new religious groups, like the Apostolic Movement, for eviction from their homes and the confiscation of their places of worship.
For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Sini Maria Heikkila, Public Affairs Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0) 78 26938 360, email siniheikkila@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.
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Notes to Editors:
“The case shows another example of state-sponsored intimidation underway in Cuba since at least 2007,” said Jason Poblete, an attorney leading the case with Poblete Tamargo.
“The situation will result in loss of a home and church to Rev. Bravo Denis, his family and to members of the Apostolic movement. Furthermore, it will lead to permanent psychological and physical harm of Apostolic Movement members. The Communist Party officials are not even hiding the fact that they are targeting this group,” Poblete added.
Mervyn Thomas, CEO of CSW said, "We are hopeful that the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights will fully investigate this case and call the Cuban government to account for attempting to arbitrarily evict Rev. Bravo Denis and his family from their home. We hope that this will set a precedent for other cases where the government has illegally targeted the property of religious groups in an effort to punish them or to restrict their growth and impact. We are grateful to Poblete Tamargo for taking on this case and have the utmost admiration for Rev. Bravo Denis who has stepped forward to claim his rights and to publicly expose the actions of the Cuban government.”
The property originally belonged to former prisoner of conscience, Reverend Omar Gude Perez, and his wife Kenia Denis. They legally transferred the ownership to Rev. Bravo Denis, Kenia Denis’ nephew, before accepting asylum and moving to the US in January 2013.
On 18 September 2013, Rev. Bravo Denis was cited to appear at the Ministry of Justice in Camagüey along with Reverend Gude Perez. In a 20-minute court hearing it was decided that despite all the legal, notarised documents proving the legal ownership of the property, Rev. Bravo Denis and his family should be evicted and the government should take over ownership.
The court decision was followed by government-organised 'acts of repudiation' targeting the home of Rev. Bravo Denis and his family. State security agents, police and paramilitaries dressed as civilians surrounded the house for days, shouting insults, throwing rocks, eggs and other hard objects in an attempt to force them out of the house. On the evening of 26 October 2013, Rev. Bravo Denis received a summons to appear at the Ministry of Housing at 9:30 am the following day, a Sunday, outside of normal government working hours. At this meeting, Rev. Bravo Denis was told that he could stay in the property if he agreed to submit all church activities in advance to government officials for approval. He was also asked to pay the government 300CUC (US$300) and to acknowledge that the government was the true owner of the property. Rev. Bravo Denis continued to assert his legal ownership of the property and refused these conditions. Since then, the Cuban government has continued to threaten the family with eviction.
CSW believes the targeting of this property is part of a wider aggressive campaign by the Cuban government to eliminate certain religious groups from the island. In 2010, Caridad Diego, the head of the Office for Religious Affairs for the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party was caught on video vowing that the government would target Cuban leaders of new religious groups, like the Apostolic Movement, for eviction from their homes and the confiscation of their places of worship.
For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Sini Maria Heikkila, Public Affairs Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0) 78 26938 360, email siniheikkila@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.
Unsubscribe or receive CSW press releases via RSS
Notes to Editors:
- Interviews with Reverend Bravo or his legal team can be arranged by CSW Public Affairs team. Please contact Sini Maria Heikkila on +44 (0) 78 269 38 360 or siniheikkila@csw.org.uk.
- The Office for the Religious Affairs for the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party holds authority over all religious groups and their activities in Cuba.
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