As reported by CSW on 5 May 2022, irregularities
continue in the court case against the pastor of the Monte de Sion Church in Palma Soriano. Pastor Rosales Fajardo was arrested for participating in the peaceful protests of 11 July 2021 and was imprisoned in Boniato Maximum Security Prison in August 2021 charged with 'disrespect', 'assault', 'criminal incitement' and 'public disorder'. In April 2022, the Cuban government informed the Permanent Mission of Cuba in Geneva to the United Nations that the prison sentence was to be 8 years. However, it was not until May that the prisoner and his family were officially informed of the legal situation. Inexplicably, they were informed that the sentence was 7 years.
In a separate development, CSW reported on 27 April 2022 that the organizers of the "˜Breaking the Chains" prayer meeting in support of mothers and wives of political prisoners‚ had decided to
cancel the event. The decision came after Pastor Travieso and his wife had been arbitrarily arrested, interrogated and threatened with imprisonment if the meeting went ahead on 29-30 April 2022. There were also threats of reprisals against the political prisoners and their families.
World Watch Research analyst Rossana Ramirez comments: "Before his arrest in July 2021, Pastor Fajardo had been regularly harassed by government agents ever since his home and church had been temporarily
confiscated in 2009 (CSW, 27 October 2021). The current charges brought against him have clearly been trumped up. This, together with the intimidation of Pastor Travieso and his wife, reveals once again the systematic violation of human rights by the Cuban authorities against anyone deemed to be voicing opposition. While the international community is urging the Cuban government to guarantee religious freedom - as in the
USCIRF 2022 Annual report (USCIRF, April 2022, pp.48-49) - the situation for Christians supporting the most vulnerable seems to be worsening."
