The United States Department of State highlighted serious violations of religious freedom in Cuba in its report on the issue for 2023.
He International Religious Freedom Report 2023 details that the Cuban regime continues to impose severe restrictions and reprisals against religious practice, affecting various faith communities on the island.
Stresses that the Cuban government continues to exercise strict control over the religious activitiesincluding surveillance and harassment of religious leaders, denial of permits for the construction of places of worship, and disruption of religious services.
He comments that during the period cases of arbitrary arrests, threats and violence against people who openly practice their faith are documented.
Among the most affected groups are evangelical Christians, Catholics and members of other Christian denominations, as well as practitioners of Afro-Cuban religions such as Santería.
The report also mentions restrictions on Jehovah’s Witnesses and Muslims, who face difficulties in practicing their rituals and obtaining legal recognition for their organizations.
One of the practices most criticized in the report is the government intervention in the internal affairs of religious communities, including the infiltration of religious events by security agents and the coercion of religious leaders to cooperate with the authorities. This interference has created an atmosphere of fear and mistrust among the faithful, making it difficult for the faithful to freely express their faith.
The State Department highlights the lack of transparency and arbitrary application of laws regulating religious activities, which allows the government to repress religious communities with impunity. The report urges the Cuban government to respect the fundamental rights of religious freedom, in accordance with the international commitments assumed by Cuba.
It also highlights the role of civil society and international organizations in the reporting these violations and in the defense of religious freedom on the island. The international community is called upon to continue putting pressure on the Cuban regime to guarantee respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all its citizens.
“The United States firmly believes that everyone in Cuba should be able to live with dignity, with their labor and religious rights fully respected. The protection of those rights “It is a continuous commitment and must always count on the contributions of civil society,” the United States Embassy in Cuba expressed on the social network X when publishing the document.
US embassies in other countries also published the chapters of each nation based on information from government officials, religious groups, non-governmental organizations, journalists, human rights monitors, academics, media and others.
The Washington-based Office of International Religious Freedom is assisting in the collection and analysis of additional information, based on its consultations with foreign government officials, religious groups and domestic and foreign non-governmental organizations, multilateral and international and regional organizations, journalists, academic experts, community leaders and other relevant United States government institutions for the preparation of the reports.
