A pastor and member of the Alliance of Christians of Cuba (ACC) was disappeared for approximately 14 hours from midday on 9 July after he attempted to make a pastoral visit to the mother of two political prisoners in San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba.
Pastor Maikel Pupo Velázquez, who leads Ministerio Palabra de Fuego Bendición Sagrada Church in Camagüey, was intercepted as he was delivering epilepsy medication for the granddaughter of Marta Perdomo Benites, the mother of brothers Jorge and Nadir Martín Perdomo who have been imprisoned for four years for their participation in the unprecedented peaceful protests that swept across the island on 11 July 2021.
While the pastor was successfully able to deliver the medication, he was prevented from entering Ms Perdomo’s house and was disappeared immediately afterwards whilst on the phone to another pastor at approximately 12 noon. His phone was switched off and neither his family nor his fellow pastors were able to contact him.
A group of pastors from the ACC who made enquiries at hospitals, police stations and provisional detention centres were repeatedly informed that Pastor Pupo was not detained and that they would need to wait 72 hours in order to file a complaint. At approximately 2am on 10 July, Pastor Pupo appeared outside his house in Camagüey. CSW sources have since confirmed that he had been detained, interrogated and threatened.
Reverend Enrique Fundora Perez, an exiled Cuban pastor and freedom of religion or belief advocate, said: ‘Pastor Maikel is under police control for three days, unable to move from his home. His wife told me that although he is physically okay, he is visibly affected, sometimes shouting, sometimes silent, not wanting to mention the details of what happened to him.’
The pastor’s disappearance follows a wave increased restrictions on religious leaders and independent civil society in the lead-up to the fourth anniversary of the protests of 11 July 2021.
Church leaders from different denominations across the country have been told not to allow the families of political prisoners to take part in any religious activities occurring on the dates surrounding the anniversary. In addition, some leaders of unregistered churches have been warned that they are not permitted to hold services if more than a certain number of people – the number varies – are expected to attend.
From 29 June to 3 July Henry Constantín Ferreiro, director of La Hora de Cuba, was subjected to four days of arbitrary detention in the Garrido State Security jail in Camagüey after he was arrested whilst accompanying a colleague who was complying with a police summons.
In a statement posted to Instagram on 3 July, Mr Constantín confirmed his release and described his detention as ‘four difficult, uncomfortable days’ during which he was subjected to ‘threats that will continue to weigh on [him] in the time to come’.
CSW’s CEO Scot Bower said: ‘Tomorrow Cuba marks the fourth anniversary of unprecedented nationwide protests that saw people of all walks of life come together and call for justice, freedom, human rights and democracy. The Cuban Communist Party continues to stand in the way of these legitimate requests. We are highly concerned at its ongoing efforts to silence and punish independent voices in the country, and particularly at the detentions and mistreatment of Pastor Maikel Pupo Velázquez and Henry Constantín Ferreiro as they were simply being of assistance to others. We continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners, and insist that the Cuban authorities must cease their efforts to restrict the fundamental rights of all citizens to freedom of expression, assembly and religion or belief.’