Mr. Olainis Tejeda Beltrán and Ms. Yeliney Lescaille Preval, a married Bnei Anusim Sephardic Jewish couple from Cuba’s Camagüey province, have been fighting for their family’s right to live their Jewish faith publicly. The sons, ages 12 and 8 at the time, were blocked from entering school wearing kippahs on December 17-18, 2019, and the family was threatened with death by a Rapid Response Brigade member on the scene.
From September, their older son had been subjected to intermittent mockery, anti-Semitic slurs, beatings, and rough removal of his kippah by his seventh-grade classmates. Rather than punishing his attackers, the school authorities, all loyal Communist party members, launched a campaign of accusations and aggression against the boy and his parents. They accused the boy of being aggressive, despite witnesses.
On December 11 and 13, 2019, school and local education authorities required Mr. Tejeda and Ms. Lescaille to meet with a Committee about their case, and subjected them to a humiliating interrogation; on December 19, the parents were summoned to meet with the Camagüey District Attorney, who threatened them with charges of “Other Acts Contrary to Normal Child Development.” (The Rigal-Expósito parents of Guantánamo were imprisoned for these same charges.) Their first attorney was threatened with prison. GLA has been in frequent contact with the family and legal representation to monitor their situation.
News, Media and other GLA Action Items:
From September, their older son had been subjected to intermittent mockery, anti-Semitic slurs, beatings, and rough removal of his kippah by his seventh-grade classmates. Rather than punishing his attackers, the school authorities, all loyal Communist party members, launched a campaign of accusations and aggression against the boy and his parents. They accused the boy of being aggressive, despite witnesses.
On December 11 and 13, 2019, school and local education authorities required Mr. Tejeda and Ms. Lescaille to meet with a Committee about their case, and subjected them to a humiliating interrogation; on December 19, the parents were summoned to meet with the Camagüey District Attorney, who threatened them with charges of “Other Acts Contrary to Normal Child Development.” (The Rigal-Expósito parents of Guantánamo were imprisoned for these same charges.) Their first attorney was threatened with prison. GLA has been in frequent contact with the family and legal representation to monitor their situation.
News, Media and other GLA Action Items:
- U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) 2021 Annual Report, Recommendations for the Special Watch List: the persecution of the Jewish Sephardic Bnei Anusim community (2021).
- GLA Urges Economic Sanctions and Visa Restrictions for Cuban officials engaged in religious persecution of various religious communities including the Jewish Sephardic Bnei Anusim community (Mar. 19, 2020).
- Radio Televisión Martí, Dec. 16, 2019: “Educación municipal prohíbe uso de la kipá a estudiante judío en Camagüey.”
- Jerusalem Post, Dec. 30, 2019: “Cuban child banned from wearing kippah following violent school bullying.”
- Diario de Cuba, Jan. 11, 2020: “La Federación Hebrea de Cuba dice que los judíos no sufren discriminación escolar en la Isla.”
- Cubanos por el Mundo, Jan. 22, 2020: “Abogado de EEUU será el defensor de una familia cubana acosada en Camagüey.”
- Radio Televisión Martí, February 20, 2019: “Olainis Tejeda Beltrán, ¿otra víctima del Decreto Ley 370?”
