On August 11, 2021, spokesperson for the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba, Ms. Yaimara Reyes Soler, recorded the following message of support for fellow members Donaida Perez Paseiro, Loreto Hernandez Garcia, and twin sisters Lisdiany and Lisdany Rodriguez Isak (aka Lisdiani & Lisdani Rodriguez Isaac), all of which are currently imprisoned in Santa Clara, Cuba following nation-wide protests on July 11. 

​Last month, several members of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba were detained and now face charges related to participation in peaceful protests that broke out in provinces across the island on July 11.
 
The Free Yorubas charged, including members Loreto Hernandez Garcia, Donaida Perez Paseiro, and Elizabeth Cintra Garcia, are currently being held in provisional prisons or under house arrest as a precautionary measure until a trial is held.

On July 19, 2021, several members of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba were charged as a result of participation in peaceful protests that broke out in provinces all across the island on July 11.

​Thousands of Cubans took to the streets on Sunday in several cities throughout their island nation to peacefully assemble and protest, calling for liberty, free exercise of their fundamental freedoms, and change. Cuban state security forces were deployed, and many demonstrators were beaten, arrested and disappeared by the evening. The whereabouts of many are still unknown.

​On Monday, June 28, members of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba appeared at the People’s Court and Prosecutor’s Office of Placetas, Villa Clara, to file a complaint about dozens of religious freedom violations. The Free Yorubas are requesting an investigation into these violations, which are prohibited under the Cuban Constitution.

On Friday, March 5, the youth organizer of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba, Dairon Hernández Pérez, was detained, beaten, and robbed by Cuban State Security and Rapid Response Brigades outside his home. He was returning from a religious event. GLA is investigating the matter. More details, including photos and video, are included at the end of this post.

In a video statement, Mr. Hernández and his mother Free Yorubas Executive Secretary Donaida Pérez Paseiro assert that he was beaten on the head, stomach, back, and legs, his religious articles were broken, and money he carried on his person was taken. State Security also threatened to run him over with a car, and to jail him for "precriminal dangerousness." In other words, repression. 

The brutal attack occurred  less than 2 weeks after the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) published an important Fact Sheet outlining how the Free Yorubas were victims of religious persecution. The Global Liberty Alliance has been providing information to USCIRF about this matter, and others and has urged the U.S. government to impose economic sanctions on Cuba's Religion Police, a Stasi-like entity that is part of the Communist Party and called the Office of Religious Affairs. 

Today, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released a new report on the state of the santería (also known as Yoruba) tradition in Cuba. According to USCIRF, the report “provides a brief overview of the traditions of the Santeria community in Cuba and highlights the religious freedom violations that community experiences.” The report gives evidence of religious freedom violations against the Association of Free Yorubas that the Global Liberty Alliance uncovered, thanks to the support of Cuban civil society leaders.

GLA received word that yesterday, December 10, on International Human Rights Day, Association of Free Yorubas members Yolexi Sánchez was detained by State Security, and threatened with 3 years' jail time and loss of his job.
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The reason? He belonged to the Association of Free Yorubas and to civil society organization Julio Machado Academy. Cuban State Security assured Mr. Sánchez that if he didn't quit both the Free Yorubas and the Julio Machado Academy, the father of 3 would be fired from his job and given 3 years of prison for "endangerment." Mr. Sánchez of course refused to abandon his beliefs and friends. Listen to testimony from Free Yoruba leadership below.

GLA denounces all state attempts to control freedom of worship and assembly, and is defending Mr. Sánchez and all those repressed under totalitarian regimes like Cuba's.

Yesterday, on September 30, 2020, two Cuban women who are members of the Association of Free Yorubas executive committee were arrested, held overnight, and beaten by State Security. 

​Alexandria, VA - The Global Liberty Alliance (GLA) has received word that several members of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba (Asociación de Yorubas Libres de Cuba), including an underage boy, were just released from police custody after being separately summoned to the police station in Placetas, Villa Clara this afternoon. They were in police custody for 3 hours.