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GLA Urges Immediate Release, and Renews Call for the United States and Other Responsible Nations to Impose Economic Sanctions on Cuba’s Office of Religious Affairs (Cuba’s Religion Police), Leadership and Collaborators (Alexandria, Virginia) The Global Liberty Alliance, a network of lawyers and fundamental right defenders dedicated to strengthening basic rights, free markets, and the rule of law, is urging fellow human right defenders to help raise awareness of the plight of the Association of the Free Yorubas of Cuba (“Free Yorubas”) whose members have been rounded up and unlawfully imprisoned for their beliefs and peaceful resistance efforts to endemic Communist Party persecution.  Donaida Perez Paseiro President, Association of the Free Yorubas of Cuba Age: 50 Current Status: Detained in Guamajal prison (Santa Clara, Cuba) pending trial. Donaida Perez Paseiro, President of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba, was arrested on July 16, after voluntarily surrendering herself in compliance with a summons issued after participation in peaceful protests. Ms. Perez was held at Caibarien Prison in Villa Clara until July 19, when she was transferred to Guamajal prison in Santa Clara, following a ruling by the District Attorney of Placetas to hold Ms. Perez in provisional prison as a precautionary measure until a trial is held. A member of the Free Yorubas attempted to visit Ms. Perez on July 23 but was not permitted to meet with her face-to-face because she was allegedly being held in COVID isolation. Ms. Perez has a history of hypertension, though her current health status and overall situation are unknown.  Loreto Hernández Garcia Vice President, Association of the Free Yorubas of Cuba Age: 50 Current Status: Detained in La Pendiente prison (Santa Clara, Cuba) pending trial. Loreto Hernandez Garcia, Vice President of the Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba, was unlawfully arrested on July 15, and held in police custody following the peaceful protests and demonstrations last month. Mr. Hernandez was taken to Caibarien Prison in Villa Clara following his arrest and placed in isolation after being exposed to another prisoner with COVID-19. On July 19, Hernandez along with other members of the Free Yorubas, were charged with public disorder, disobedience, spreading the epidemic, and incitement. The District Attorney of Placetas ruled they would be held in a provisional prison as a precautionary measure until a trial is held. On August 2, Mr. Hernandez was urgently taken to see a doctor after complaining of chest pains and high blood pressure. The doctor at the Caibarien facility told him he was experiencing pre-infarction and was in a critical state of health. Mr. Hernandez was then transferred from the Caibarien facility to La Pendiente prison in Santa Clara on Wednesday, August 4. Lisdiani and Lisdani Rodriguez Isacc (aka Lisdiany & Lisdany Rodriguez Isak) Members, Association of Free Yorubas of Cuba Ages: 22 Current Status: Detained in Guamajal prison (Santa Clara, Cuba) pending trial. Cuban authorities picked up twin sisters Lisdiani and Lisdani Rodriguez Isaac on July 19, as government authorities rounded up individuals for participation in protests earlier that month. They were held at a police station in Placetas, and then transferred to Guamajal prison in Santa Clara on August 4. The same day, they were finally able to communicate with their mother. This was the first time since their arrest, over three weeks prior, that they were able to make contact with family. “These prisoners of conscience are speaking for scores of fellow Yoruba practitioners in Cuba who have suffered in silence for decades,” said GLA President Jason Poblete. “The Free Yorubas of Cuba for decades has peacefully resisted the brutal psychological and other forms of torture and intimidation carried out by Cuba’s secret police under the direction of the Communist Party’s Religion Police, the Office of Religious Affairs. They are doing their part, now responsible nations should support them, starting with economic sanctions on the Religion Police, its leaders, and other collaborators in Cuba and outside of Cuba, especially in the United States,” added Poblete. A GLA legal expert working on many cases involving the Free Yorubas noted, “The Free Yorubas of Cuba is a religious organization that is not legally recognized as it disagrees with the government, for which reason its main representatives/leaders and many of its members have been victims of violations of their rights.” Prisoners of conscience are persons imprisoned for the peaceful expression of their political, religious, or other conscientiously held beliefs, or for their identity, even though they have neither used nor advocated violence. You can learn more about POCs at the U.S. Congress Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission website and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom website. If you would like to help raise awareness or support Global Liberty Alliance efforts in this matter, please contact us. Recent Key Events
To learn more about the religious persecution of the Free Yorubas of Cuba and GLA advocacy see our featured casework HERE. RESOURCES:
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