CSW's highly valued Connect & Encourage address book has been released in a new edition, coinciding with a focus on Cuba through the current Cry Freedom campaign.

Over a dozen Cuban cases are featured in CSW's new edition of Connect & Encourage, a letter-writing resource aimed at helping Christians and churches to stand in solidarity with prisoners of conscience and others facing hardship in connection with their faith.

CSW interviews Cuban rights defenders

Recent cases include Caridad Caballero Batista, a member of the renowned Ladies in White peaceful protest group, and Dr Garc'a Paneque, an independent journalist imprisoned with 74 other human rights defenders in 2003.  They were both interviewed in summer 2012 by CSW staff on a fact-finding visit.

Each of the Cubans featured in Connect & Encourage have contributed to improving  their society, and the freedom of their people, either through positions of church leadership or in support of human rights work such as case documentation.  CSW continues to urge Christian communities of every denomination to write to these people, knowing how great an impact it makes on their morale and faith as they work for freedom under severe pressure, motivated by their faith.

"As long as [Cuba] is not free ' there will be political prisoners"

After receiving hundreds of cards of encouragement from across the world, Dr Paneque recently commented to CSW staff that, "a prisoner who receives those letters, those messages, grows, strengthens and has faith.  And in Cuba, as long as it's not free, as long as it's people do not have the right to think for themselves, there will be political prisoners, because the government views them as dangerous."

Included in Connect & Encourage are the names and addresses of some of the people for whom we work as well as the contact details for some of our partner organisations.

To download a full copy of Connect & Encourage please visit: www.csw.org.uk/connectandencourage

Dr Oscar Elias Biscet

Dr Biscet was released in early 2011 after serving eight years of a 25-year sentence following a deal brokered by the Catholic Church. He was imprisoned because of his human rights work. He is now at home with his wife, Elsa, but they feel very insecure so rarely go out except to attend church on Sundays. He is a devout Christian and pacifist, and was recently nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. CSW has been supporting Dr Biscet for over ten years.

Dr Oscar Elias Biscet
c/o Elsa Morejob Hernandez
Acosta 464 e/ 8va y 9va
Lawton
Ciudad de la Habana
Cuba

Father Jos' Conrado

Father Conrado is a Roman Catholic Priest who has suffered harassment and threats for speaking out against human rights violations and allowing the families of political prisoners to attend mass at his church.

Padre Jos' Conrado
Iglesia Catolica
El Cr isto
Santiago de Cr isto
Cuba

Maranatha First Baptist Church of Holguin

The Maranatha First Baptist Church was visited by provincial officials from the Ministry of Housing in April and informed in a highly intimidating manner that their buildings would be confiscated on a permanent basis by state authorities. The 1,000-strong church is based in the town of Holguin, in the northeast of the Caribbean island, and has a very active local ministry working with vulnerable members of the community such as the elderly and the disabled. The church has also planted many new congregations through their outreach work in the region, and runs a thriving youth ministry. Despite being registered, the church now faces confiscation threats.

Primera Iglesia Bautista Maranatha
Fomento 298 e/ Mar t' y Luz Caballero
Ciudad de Holguin,
Holguin 80100, Cuba

Pastor Reutilio Columbie

In February 2012, Pastor Reutilio Columbie was beaten so violently that he suffered brain damage. It's believed that this attack was a direct result of his challenge to the authorities over their arbitrary confiscation of his church's truck. He was found unconscious in the street after the severe beating, and now struggles with his speech and with memory loss.

Pastor Reutilio Columbie
Casa #27 Caba'a de rodo-Monterrey
Moa, Holguien
Cuba

Sara Marta Fonseca

Sara Marta Fonseca is a supporter of the Ladies in White, a group of wives and mothers of prisoners of conscience in Cuba, who peacefully protest each Sunday after attending Mass. Although Sara Marta is not related to any of the political prisoners, she feels that as a Christian, it her duty to walk with the Ladies in White each week in solidarity with them. As a result she has been the target of beatings, severe harassment and has her home vandalised and spray-painted multiple times.

Sara Marta Fonseca
Calle 275 # 16024 e/160 y Final
Reparto Rio Verde, Boyeros
Ciudad de la Habana. CP 19220
Cuba

Pastor Yogly Gonzalez P'rez

Two years ago, Pastor Yogly Gonzalez P'rez, age 32, was forcibly evicted from his home by the National Revolutionary Police and the National Institute for Housing. According to the pastor, the police forced their way into the house when he opened the door in the morning, confiscated all of his belongings and put them into a truck. They forced him and his family, including his four year old child, to leave, sealed the house, where they had lived for fifteen years and which had been handed down to Yogly by his uncle. They have been homeless ever since and have had to rely on the hospitality of others. He is currently living with his mother in Havana.

Pastor Yogly Gonzalez P'rez
Calle Esperanza 214 Apt 12
e/ Florida Y Alanbique
Habana Vieja
Cuba

Dagoberto Valdez

Dagoberto Valdez is a Catholic lay leader who has been the target of threats and harassment because of his activities in independent civil society, including working on independent Christian publications.

Dagoberto Valdez
Polvor'n #8
e/ San Juan y Raver io
Pinar del Rio CP 20100
Cuba

Pastor Mario Felix Lleonart Barroso

Pastor Lleonart Barroso is a Baptist pastor in central Cuba who has come under fire from the government because of his refusal to stop ministering to human rights and democracy activists. Government officials have put pressure on church leaders to remove him from his leadership position and have tried to isolate the pastor and his family.

Pastor Mario Felix Lleonart Barroso
Rivadeneira 66
Taguayab'n
Villa Clara 54260
Cuba

Rev Roberto Rodr'guez

In an answer to prayer Reverend Rodr'guez was cleared of the charges against him. He and his family continue to live in difficult circumstances and have been unable to return to their home.

Rvdo. Roberto Rodr'guez y Familia
Princesa No. 52 e/ Laborde y Gene
C'rdenas
42110
Matanzas
Cuba

Pastor Omar Gude P'rez

Pastor Omar Gude P'rez was sentenced to six years in prison in July 2009. He was recently released from prison on 'conditional liberty' but the restrictions on him effectively amount to house arrest. At the time of writing the family is still in Cuba but has been granted asylum in the United States. Please send your cards to the CSW office for us to forward on.

La Familia Gude P'rez
c/o CSW Office
PO Box 99
New Malden
Surrey
KT3 3YF

Francisco Rodriguez

Francisco Rodriguez, pastor of Cristo Rompe las Cadenas Church, also in Havana, has been harassed by the authorities in recent weeks, including threats of physical violence. The church is also not registered, but it is also part of the Western Baptist Convention. It is thought that the church's ministry with vagrants and delinquents, who are mostly young people, has brought the pastor to the attention of the authorities. A member of a Cuban rap group which is openly critical of the government is also reported to be attending services at the church.

Cristo Rompe Las Cadenas Church
Pastor Francisco Rodr'guez San Juan,
Calle Zaldo e/ L'nea del Tren y Pereira,
Callej'n Barreiro, Zaldo, Cerro,
Habana
Cuba

Pastor Yuri Castellanos Perez

A Baptist church in Yaguajay, Sancti Spiritus Province, is facing the threat of losing their property. Local authorities claim that the church land was nationalised in October 1980 and they are planning to turn over the church property to two state owned companies. The pastor, Yuri Castellanos, and congregation, with the support of the denomination, which owns the church, are calling for international support in their case. The historic church building belonged to the Western Baptist Convention prior to the Revolution.

Yaguajay Baptist Church
Pastor Yuri Castellanos Perez
Calle Quintin Banderas, #15
Yaguajay
Sancti Spir itus CP 65100
Cuba

The following pastors have all been targets of harassment and threats and would be much encouraged by letters and cards.

Pastor Jos' Miroel Matos Guilarte and wife Odelkys Breijo

Pastor Jos' Miroel Matos Guilarte y Familia
Calle 21 #23 entre 8 y 10
Reparto el Tr iangulo
Colombia, Victor ia Las Tunas
Cuba

Pastor Tony Milhet Toirac and wife Gloria Pag'n G'nzalez

Pastor Tony Milhet Toirac and Gloria Pag'n G'nzalez
Eduardo M'rmol #91 (oeste)
e/ Maceo y Honorato del Castillo
Ciego de Avila 2
Cuba

Pastor Emerson Moreno Risco

Pastor Emerson Moreno Risco
Independencia No. 15.
Central Orlando Gonz'lez
Algodones Ciego de Avila 69210
Cuba

Pastor Tomaza Victoria Ayala Zellero

Pastor Tomaza Victoria Ayala Zellero and her family were evicted from their home on 22 May 2009. She is also part of the Apostolic Movement and pastors an Apostolic Church in Central Elia, Las Tunas province. They were originally told that the house, which also served as the church, would be confiscated in July 2008, despite the fact that Tomaza and her husband, Jorge, had lived there for almost thirty years and were the legal owners. When they were finally evicted, the authorities gave them documents prohibiting Tomaza from holding any religious services and the police chief threatened to imprison Zellero Leal for "dangerousness." Finally, the authorities also forcibly closed Zellero Leal's carpentry shop, leaving the family homeless and depriving them of an income.

Pastor Tomaza Victoria Ayala Zellero
Iglesia Apostolica
Cooperativo Agricultural Leningrado
Victor ia de las Tunas
Cuba

Included in Connect & Encourage are the names and addresses of some of the people for whom we work as well as the contact details for some of our partner organisations.

To download a full copy of Connect & Encourage please visit: www.csw.org.uk/connectandencourage