Reverendo Jesús Noel Carballeda, un pastor cubano de 45 años de una iglesia no registrada en La Habana que había sido encarcelado durante seis meses para la celebración de servicios religiosos no autorizados, fue liberado el 31 de agosto.
Reverendo Carballeda fue detenido a principios de febrero y encarcelado en la prisión de Valle Grande en San Antonio de los Baños afueras de La Habana. No parece que se haya intentado, pero mientras estaba en prisión fue informado por los funcionarios del gobierno que se celebrará durante seis meses como castigo por su continua actividad religiosa no autorizada.
Reverendo Carballeda fue encarcelado previamente en 2000 por cuatro meses después de que los vecinos comunistas militantes presentaron quejas legales acerca de los servicios de la iglesia que tenía en su casa familiar en Marianao, La Habana. Tras su detención, fue puesto en libertad condicional y obligado a registrarse con las autoridades sobre una base regular. Mientras él se le prohibió la celebración de cualquier actividad religiosa en la familia a casa, siguió al frente de su Iglesia, la celebración de los servicios en los parques, alquilar salas y otras viviendas particulares.
Iglesia del reverendo Carballeda está vinculado al Movimiento Apostólico, una red de rápido crecimiento de las iglesias protestantes, que el gobierno cubano ha negado a registrar. Debido a que el grupo religioso es no registrado, todas las actividades de la iglesia afiliada son técnicamente ilegales y que no pueden solicitar permisos para un lugar determinado de la adoración. En marzo, la esposa del reverendo Carballeda dijo CSW:.. "No queremos molestar a nadie Sólo necesitamos un lugar para adorar Nos vemos obligados a cumplir al aire libre, en parques o habitaciones alquiladas como [las autoridades] no nos dará reconocimiento legal ".
La detención del reverendo Carballeda es parte de una ofensiva más grande sobre la libertad religiosa en Cuba en los últimos años. En 2014, la CSW documentó 220 casos separados de violaciónes la libertad religiosa, frente a 185 en 2013 y 120 en 2012. Los grupos religiosos no registrados han sido un objetivo particular de la represión del gobierno, con los líderes religiosos de informes de hostigamiento, multas y amenazas de confiscación o destrucción de la propiedad . El caso del reverendo Yiorvis Bravo Denis, un líder en el Movimiento Apostólico cuya casa fue expropiada arbitrariamente por el gobierno en 2013, se ha presentado ante la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, pidiendo medidas cautelares.
Embajador Especial del CSW Stuart Windsor dijo: "Si bien celebramos la liberación del reverendo Carballeda, observamos que sólo fue puesto en libertad tras cumplir una condena total de seis meses por el supuesto delito de celebración de los servicios religiosos pacíficos no autorizadas. Como Cuba se prepara para la visita de el Papa este mes, seguimos pidiendo al gobierno cubano para llevar los asuntos legales relacionados con las actividades y los grupos religiosos bajo mecanismos legales regulares y retire la Oficina de Asuntos Religiosos de su posición de autoridad sobre todos los grupos y actividades religiosas. Instamos al gobierno a cesar su acoso a todos los grupos religiosos, tanto registrados y no registrados, y para permitir que los grupos religiosos que deseen registrarse y operar legalmente a hacerlo. "
Para más información o para concertar entrevistas por favor póngase en contacto con Kiri Kankhwende, encargada de prensa en el Christian Solidarity Worldwide en el +44 (0) 20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, correo electrónico o visitar www.csw kiri@csw.org.uk .org.uk.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) es una organización cristiana que trabaja por la libertad religiosa a través de la promoción y los derechos humanos, en la búsqueda de la justicia.
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CUBA: REVEREND CARBALLEDA RELEASED FROM PRISON
Reverend
Jesús Noel Carballeda, a 45 year-old Cuban pastor of an unregistered
church in Havana who had been imprisoned for six months for holding
unauthorised religious services, was released on 31 August.
Reverend Carballeda was detained in early February and imprisoned in the Valle Grande prison in San Antonio de los Baños outside of Havana. He does not appear to have been tried, but while in prison he was informed by government officials that he would be held for six months as punishment for his continued unauthorised religious activity.
Reverend Carballeda was previously imprisoned in 2000 for four months after militant communist neighbours filed legal complaints about church services he held in his family home in Marianao, Havana. Following his imprisonment, he was put on probation and made to check in with the authorities on a regular basis. While he was barred from holding any religious activity in the family home he continued to lead his church, holding services in parks, rented halls and other private homes.
Reverend Carballeda's church is linked to the Apostolic Movement, a fast growing network of protestant churches which the Cuban government has refused to register. Because the religious group is unregistered, all of the affiliated church's activities are technically illegal and they are unable to apply for permits for a designated place of worship. In March, Reverend Carballeda’s wife told CSW: "We do not want to bother anyone. We just need a place to worship. We are forced to meet in the open air, in parks or rented rooms as [the authorities] will not give us legal recognition."
The detention of Reverend Carballeda is part of a larger crackdown on religious freedom in Cuba over the past few years. In 2014, CSW documented 220 separate cases of religious freedom violations, up from 185 in 2013 and 120 in 2012. Unregistered religious groups have been a particular target of government repression, with religious leaders reporting harassment, fines and threats of confiscation or destruction of property. The case of Reverend Yiorvis Bravo Denis, a leader in the Apostolic Movement whose home was arbitrarily expropriated by the government in 2013, has been filed with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission, petitioning for precautionary measures.
CSW’s Special Ambassador Stuart Windsor said, "While we welcome the release of Reverend Carballeda, we note that he was only released after serving a full six-month sentence for the supposed crime of holding unauthorised peaceful religious services. As Cuba prepares for the visit of the Pope this month, we continue to call on the Cuban government to bring legal matters related to religious activities and groups under regular legal mechanisms and remove the Office of Religious Affairs from its position of authority over all religious groups and activities. We urge the government to cease its harassment of all religious groups, both registered and unregistered, and to allow religious groups who wish to register and to operate legally to do so."
Reverend Carballeda was detained in early February and imprisoned in the Valle Grande prison in San Antonio de los Baños outside of Havana. He does not appear to have been tried, but while in prison he was informed by government officials that he would be held for six months as punishment for his continued unauthorised religious activity.
Reverend Carballeda was previously imprisoned in 2000 for four months after militant communist neighbours filed legal complaints about church services he held in his family home in Marianao, Havana. Following his imprisonment, he was put on probation and made to check in with the authorities on a regular basis. While he was barred from holding any religious activity in the family home he continued to lead his church, holding services in parks, rented halls and other private homes.
Reverend Carballeda's church is linked to the Apostolic Movement, a fast growing network of protestant churches which the Cuban government has refused to register. Because the religious group is unregistered, all of the affiliated church's activities are technically illegal and they are unable to apply for permits for a designated place of worship. In March, Reverend Carballeda’s wife told CSW: "We do not want to bother anyone. We just need a place to worship. We are forced to meet in the open air, in parks or rented rooms as [the authorities] will not give us legal recognition."
The detention of Reverend Carballeda is part of a larger crackdown on religious freedom in Cuba over the past few years. In 2014, CSW documented 220 separate cases of religious freedom violations, up from 185 in 2013 and 120 in 2012. Unregistered religious groups have been a particular target of government repression, with religious leaders reporting harassment, fines and threats of confiscation or destruction of property. The case of Reverend Yiorvis Bravo Denis, a leader in the Apostolic Movement whose home was arbitrarily expropriated by the government in 2013, has been filed with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission, petitioning for precautionary measures.
CSW’s Special Ambassador Stuart Windsor said, "While we welcome the release of Reverend Carballeda, we note that he was only released after serving a full six-month sentence for the supposed crime of holding unauthorised peaceful religious services. As Cuba prepares for the visit of the Pope this month, we continue to call on the Cuban government to bring legal matters related to religious activities and groups under regular legal mechanisms and remove the Office of Religious Affairs from its position of authority over all religious groups and activities. We urge the government to cease its harassment of all religious groups, both registered and unregistered, and to allow religious groups who wish to register and to operate legally to do so."
For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, email kiri@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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