Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Cuba

Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant

Sentence: 1 Year's House Arrest

Date of Detainment: July/11/2021

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: House Arrest

Reason for Persecution: Religious Identity

Nature of Charges: Hate Speech Public Disorder

Jorge Naranjo

Extra Bio Info:

Jorge Naranjo was under house arrest for his religious identity. 

On July 11, 2021, authorities arrested Naranjo, a member and the administrator of the Los Pinos Nuevos First Evangelical Church of Las Tunas, in Las Tunas following his peaceful participation in protests on that same day.

On July 19, 2021, it was reported that authorities had charged Naranjo with "inciting hatred" and "public disorder."

On July 26, 2021, Naranjo was released from prison pending trial.  

On an unspecified date, Naranjo was reportedly sentenced to a year of house arrest.

Naranjo's sentence should have ended in 2022.

In June 2024, sources reported that Naranjo had been released from prison on an unknown date.

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Cuba

Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant

Reports of Torture: Yes

Sentence: 7 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: July/11/2021

Date of Release: January/17/2025

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role

Nature of Charges: Assault & Battery Incitement to Commit Crime & Violence Public Disorder Unlawful Disobedience

Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo

Extra Bio Info:

Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo was imprisoned in relation to his religious leadership role.

On July 11, 2021, Rosales Fajardo, pastor and leader of the Monte de Sion Independent Church in Palma Soriano, and members of his church participated in peaceful protests in Palma Soriano.  When police and the military tried to block protestors from marching, Rosales Fajardo and his son, David Lorenzo Rosales Carballo, were detained and separated. His son was released on July 17, 2021.

Rosales Fajardo was initially held for a month in a state security facility in Santiago.  During his transfer there, he was reportedly severely beaten which caused him to lose a tooth. During that same attack, it is reported that the guards also urinated on him. Rosales Fajardo was reportedly charged with disrespect, public disorder, incitement, and assault. Rosales Fajardo was also held incommunicado for most of his detention, and his family has been repeatedly denied contact with him.

On August 7, 2021, Rosales Fajardo's wife, Maridilegnis Carballo, was finally allowed to speak with him for a three minute phone call. She had previously been blocked from bringing him food and hygiene items there.

On August 9, 2021, Rosales Fajardo was reportedly transferred to the Boniato Maximum Security Prison, outside Santiago de Cuba.

On October 22, 2021, it was learned that prosecutors are seeking to imprison Rosales Fajardo for ten years.

On an unspecified date following his trial on December 20 and 21, 2021, Rosales Fajardo was sentenced to eight years in prison.

In May 2022, it was reported that Rosales Fajardo's sentence was reduced by a year to seven years in prison.

In June 2022, it was reported that Rosales Fajardo's appeal had been rejected. 

On December 24, 2022, Rosales Fajardo was reportedly transferred from Boniato Maximum Security Prison to La Caoba, a minimum security prison in Palma Soriano. 

On February 16, 2024, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that the deprivation of Rosales Fajardo's liberty violated the numerous rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including Article 18's protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief. 

On June 4, 2024, it was reported that Rosales Fajardo has been severely beaten and abused while in detention.

On January 17, 2025, Rosales Fajardo was released from prison.

Rosales Fajardo's wife was threatened with imprisonment for speaking out publicly about her husband's case.

Authorities have previously harassed Rosales Fajardo in relation to his religious activity. In 2012, they confiscated his church's property.

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Cuba

Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant

Date of Detainment: July/11/2021

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: House Arrest

Reason for Persecution: Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Yéremi Blanco Ramírez

Extra Bio Info:

Yéremi Blanco Ramírez was under house arrest in relation to his religious leadership role.

On July 11, 2021, authorities detained Ramírez, a pastor from the Berean Baptist Mission in Matanzas, after participating in peaceful protests in Matanzas.

On July 24, 2021, Ramírez was released from detention and placed under house arrest. 

On September 1, 2021, it was revealed that Ramírez would not be facing prison time for participating in the protest but instead would be fined.

On September 2, 2021, Ramírez paid the fine.

Related Cases: Yarian Sierra Madrigal

Publicly Available Information: