A Christian organization in the United Kingdom is campaigning for the release of a Cuban pastor who was detained in July for simply participating a peaceful protest.
In a statement captured by The Christian Post, the Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a group that advocates for religious liberty around the world, called for the public to join the campaign in freeing Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo.
The minister was jailed on July 11 for joining a demonstration in the city of Palma Soriano. He was detained along with his son but were immediately separated. The latter was released a week later after the authorities made her mother sign a document and pay a fine of 2,000 Cuban pesos.
In August, Fajardo was transferred to Boniato Maximum Security Prison. He is facing three to 20 years of life in prison with his current charges.
According to his wife, Maridilegnis Carballo, the family was blocked from communicating with the minister. Carballo was not even allowed to see or speak to her husband when she brought him food and other necessities in jail several times. Further, pastors who tried to visit him were denied entry to the facility.
His lawyer was able to meet him once and saw that he was very thin and held in a chokehold. Fajardo also revealed that he lost a tooth after being kicked in the face and beaten on handcuffs.
Carballo was warned that her son will face grim consequences if she speaks about the situation of her husband.
In the campaign, CSW is urging the people to email the Cuban ambassador to the U.K. and participate in its petition to release Fajardo.
Dave Mance, CSW's head of campaign, pleaded for the people to support the call.
"Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo has now spent over two months in prison in horrible conditions simply for participating in peaceful protests. CSW continues to call for his immediate and unconditional release, and we urge everyone who cares about justice to stand with us in sending a message to Cuba that the world is watching and that their treatment of Pastor Rosales Fajardo will not be tolerated."
On the other hand, Kori Porter, CEO of CSW USA, called for the Cuban government to release the minister.
"We call on the Cuban government to release Pastor Rosales Fajardo immediately. We are deeply concerned for his well-being, and it is unacceptable that his wife has been barred from speaking to or even seeing her husband for over three weeks. We echo the statements made by Cuban religious groups in support of every person's right to express themselves peacefully, including through public demonstrations. The international community must make it clear to the Cuban government that this violent response to protests and the mass detentions and summary trials of peaceful protestors are unacceptable."
Open Doors UK shared that aside from reports of pastors' inhumane detainment, the church leaders in Cuba were also "increasingly" subjected to surveillance, interrogation and threats after the churches called for a prayer and fasting due to the country's condition a few days before the protests in July.
A Cuban pastor also told the group that the government's policy on the churches is meant to maintain communism in the nation, wherein it either drains their finances through fines or treat the unregistered ones as illegal.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Those who want to show their support for Pastor Lorenzo Rosale Fajardo and his family can sign this petition and demand his release from unjust detention.
