Trial of pastoral couple delayed indefinitely, charges remain

The trial of two Cuban Protestant pastors who were detained after referencing their religious beliefs in a military tribunal has been indefinitely delayed, with no reason given by the authorities.

Pastors Luis Guillermo Borjas and Roxana Rojas, a married couple affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination which has legal status in Cuba, were 被扣留 on 19 May after Pastor Borjas mentioned ‘God’s justice’ during a military tribunal at which their son was accused of attempting to evade obligatory military service. The couple is currently required to report to the police station on a weekly basis and their ability to move freely inside Cuba is restricted, with Pastor Rojas being forbidden from attending a religious conference last week in the city of Cienfuegos.

Pastor Borjas was held for five days and released on bail on 24 May, while Pastor Rojas had been permitted to have her legal process and trial take place from home, due to a chronic health condition, and after she was taken to hospital unconscious on the night of her detention.

The couple has been charged with the crimes of disrespect and disobeying the authorities, and the prosecutor has requested that they be sentenced to eight years in prison. Their trial was supposed to have been held on 9 June, however, it did not take place. CSW sources confirmed that the charges against them still stand.

The couple’s 19-year-old son Kevin Laureido Rojas is currently being held at the Guayao Maximum Security Prison, one of Cuba’s most secure and restrictive prison facilities, located in Pinar del Río Province. Prior to his detention, Mr Rojas, who has diagnosed physical and psychological conditions that should qualify him for a medical exemption, ran away after having been taken by force to perform the military service required of all Cuban males at the age of 18. The restrictions on his parents’ movement make it impossible for them to visit him, even if they were able to find the means to travel from La Isla de la Juventud, a smaller island off the southern coast of Cuba, to Pinar del Río, located on the eastern part of the main island.

CSW’s Director of Advocacy Anna Lee Stangl said: ‘The Cuban government’s decision to indefinitely postpone the trial of Pastors Luis Guillermo Borjas and Roxana Rojas effectively leaves an eight-year prison sentence hanging over their heads. This, alongside the requirement to report to the police weekly and the restrictions on their movement, are sure to be used by the government to pressure them to keep quiet about the situation of their teenage son and will be held up as an example to other religious leaders who speak out against injustice. We call on the authorities to allow the trial to proceed as a matter of urgency, to ensure that justice is served by acquitting the couple of the unjust charges levelled against them, and to immediately free Kevin Laureido Rojas based on the recommendation of medical professionals.’