Human Rights Organization Calls for Investigation into Attack that left Cuban Pentecostal Pastor Brain Damaged

By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

"Ladies in White" are under
 the siege of the Castro
 regime 

SURREY, ENGLAND (ANS) -- A human rights organization is calling for an investigation into a violent attack on Pastor Reutilio Columbie, 41, of Shalom Christian Center in which he suffered brain damage.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is reporting it is believed that the Feb. 6 assault was the result of the pastor's decision to challenge the arbitrary confiscation of a church vehicle by the authorities.

Columbie bought a truck from a local resident five years ago, and modified it to transport members of the Pentecostal church in Moa, Cuba.

CSW said in Dec. 2011 it was suddenly confiscated by the authorities and apparently returned to the original owner, who has family ties to an individual in the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party.

CSW said the Central Committee is the same entity which holds authority over all religious matters, including registration of church property and vehicles, through the Office of Religious Affairs.

CSW said when the pastor protested the confiscation of the church vehicle and began the process of filing a formal complaint to prove ownership, the family began to receive anonymous phone calls telling them to stop or he would pay the consequences.

CSW said on Feb. 6 Columbie left his house intending to travel to the capital of Holguin Province to file the complaint, but was found unconscious on the street a few hours later and taken to the hospital. He cannot remember anything about the attack, but the only thing missing from his possession were the papers related to the vehicle.

Columbie suffered severe inflammation of the brain as a result of the attack.

CSW said Columbie is now recuperating at home with his wife Maida Perez and their three children, but still struggles with speech and memory. His daughter says he is also frequently nauseous and dizzy. The family was promised an investigation into the attack, which never materialized. They have now been told that too much time has passed for any investigation to be pursued.

CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said in a news release, “CSW calls on the authorities to conduct a full investigation into the violent assault on Pastor Reutilio. The theft of documentation relating to the ownership of the church vehicle raises questions about the motives behind the violent assault on the pastor. Cuba lacks legislation to protect religious freedom and guarantee church property.”

Thomas added, “This, combined with the fact that all religious matters are dealt with by the Office for Religious Affairs of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party (CCP), rather than regular judicial channels, leaves religious groups and leaders vulnerable to abuse and with no means to appeal decisions. CSW continues to call for the establishment of a legal framework, independent of the CCP, to regulate religious affairs.”

Christian Solidarity Worldwide works for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

For further information, visit www.csw.org.uk.

 

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Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City." Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available athttp://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net.

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Cuban Government Backtracks on Verbal Assurances to Grant Pastor Exit Visa

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

Pastor Omar Gude Perez & wife

CUBA (ANS) -- Despite verbal assurances from Cuban authorities that his application would be approved, Pastor Omar Gude Perez has so far been denied a visa to leave Cuba in order to seek asylum in the United States.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Pastor Gude Perez’s wife and two children have been given exit visas, or “white cards”, as they are called in Cuba, but the family has refused to leave Cuba without him, for fear that delays in the pastor’s visa application may lead to a long-term separation.

CSW says that since the family was granted asylum by the US in July 2010, they have had to wait several months for their exit visas to be approved, and have been subject to contradictory messages from the authorities on whether the family will be able to leave Cuba together.

CSW reports that Pastor Gude, a national leader in a fast growing network of independent churches called the Apostolic Movement, served almost three years of a six-and-a-half year prison sentence on trumped up charges. His release was subject to certain conditions, namely that he was prohibited from preaching or from travelling outside the city of Camaguey.

The Apostolic Movement is a non-denominational, Charismatic, Protestant network of church groups which are outside of the traditionally recognized Christian denominations in Cuba.

CSW has documented intense government persecution of church leaders linked to the network over the past three years, detailed in its annual report on religious freedom in Cuba.

CSW’s Advocacy Director Andrew Johnston said, “CSW is deeply concerned at the failure of Cuban officials to honour verbal assurances to grant Pastor Omar Gude Perez an exit visa.

“The Gude family have been waiting for the whole family to be granted exit visas for more than six months, and do not want to be forced to separate. We call on the Cuban government to honour its promise to the Gude family and grant Pastor Gude Perez an exit visa so that he and his family can begin a new life in the United States together without any further delay.”

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For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, emailkiri@csw.org.uk  or visit www.csw.org.uk  .

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

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Cuban Pastor Issues Public Appeal After Permission to Leave Cuba for Asylum in US is Denied

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

CAMAGUEY, CUBA (ANS) -- A Cuban pastor and his family are issuing a public appeal to the government to allow them to leave Cuba.

Pastor Pérez with his wife Kenia before his arrest (Photo: Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

Pastor Omar Gude Perez, his wife and two children were granted asylum in the United States in July but have been refused permission to exit the island, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) www.csw.org.uk .

In a media update, CSW says that after receiving asylum in the US in July, the couple was informed by government official that they would not be issued exit visas, or “white cards”, as they are called in Cuba.

In its report, CSW says: “Following negative press coverage, officials told the family they would in fact be allowed to leave, but three months on they say they have yet to see any indication that they will be permitted to go into exile. The family told Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) that they are concerned about the long delays and contradictory messages.”

CSW explained that Pastor Gude, a national leader in a fast growing network of independent churches called the Apostolic Movement, served almost three years of a six and a half year prison sentence on trumped up charges. He was released on conditional liberty earlier this year but is prohibited from preaching or from travelling outside the city of Camaguey.

CSW went on to state that pressure on other pastors in Cuba is also increasing. Another couple, both pastors from the same religious network in Camaguey as the Gude family, have been repeatedly cited by government officials and threatened with imprisonment and forcible closure of their church. On the most recent occasion, Benito Rodríguez and Bárbara Guzmán were ordered to appear at the local Ministry of Justice on 11 October and fined 200 Cuban pesos (approximately one month’s salary in Cuba).

CSW also said that last month a Baptist pastor in the province of Santa Clara, Mario Felix Lleonart Barroso, was put under house arrest on multiple occasions. Officials warned the family that they could be a target of an “act of repudiation,” government orchestrated mobs often mobilized by officials to intimidate and attack human rights and democracy activists.

CSW’s Special Ambassador Stuart Windsor said, “We are deeply concerned at the news that Cuban officials have once again declined to issue the Gude family an exit visa. News of increased pressure and threats against other church leaders is also extremely worrying.

“CSW calls on Cuba once again, to uphold its commitments as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to cease harassment of religious leaders. We hope that the government will also honour its promise to the Gude family to allow them to leave the country and begin a new life in the United States without any further delay.”

A copy of Pastor Perez’s appeal, in both Spanish and English, is available from the CSW Press Office.

The Apostolic Movement is a non-denominational, Charismatic, Protestant network of church groups which are outside of the traditionally recognized Christian denominations in Cuba.

CSW has documented intense government persecution of church leaders linked to the network over the past three years. More information is available in its annual report on religious freedom in Cuba, available in Spanish and in English at:
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=report&id=128  

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, emailkiri@csw.org.uk  or visit www.csw.org.uk  

 

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** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter

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Cuban Pastor Granted Asylum but Blocked from Leaving Country

By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

SURREY, ENGLAND (ANS) -- A Cuban pastor who was imprisoned on bogus charges has been granted asylum by the United States, but refused permission to leave Cuba. He is the second high-profile protestant pastor to be granted asylum in the US this year.

According to a news release from Christian Solidarity worldwide (CSW), Pastor Omar Gude Perez, who was imprisoned in May 2008, his wife Kenia and their two children, learned on July 18 they had been granted asylum. However, two days later, Cuban immigration officials in Camaguey informed them they would not be issued exit visas, referred to in Cuba as a White Card.

CSW said authorities justified their decision to the family by saying Perez must serve out the remainder of his prison sentence in Cuba, despite the Cuban government allowing scores of political prisoners to go into exile last year without completing their sentences.

CSW reported that Perez was granted conditional freedom, and released from prison earlier this year after serving three years of a six-and-a-half year sentence. If he is forced to serve out the rest of his sentence in Cuba, he and his family would be forced to stay in the country until 2014.

As part of the conditions of his conditional freedom, Perez is prohibited from pastoral work, including preaching, and his movements are severely restricted.

CSW's Advocacy Director Andrew Johnston said in a news release, "We were relieved to hear that the Gude family has been granted asylum, but strongly condemn the Cuban government's petty decision to deny Pastor Gude and his family the right to leave the country. Their decision to leave the country was reluctantly made after years of intense persecution on the part of the authorities."

He added, "Unless the Cuban government is prepared to cease its persecution of the family and to allow them to work as pastors openly and without restrictions, they must afford them the same right they have granted so many others and allow them to go into exile."

CSW is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

For further information, visit www.csw.org.uk.

 

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Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter,http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City." Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available at http://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds atjeremyreynalds@comcast.net.

Cuban Pastor Receives Asylum in United States as State Interference in Church Affairs Continues

By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

SURREY, ENGLAND (ANS) -- Cuban pastor and denominational leader Carlos Lamelas flew to Florida, along with his wife and two daughters, after being granted asylum by the United States government.

Carlos Lamelas

According to a news release from human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the former president of the Church of God in Cuba denomination had been imprisoned for four months in 2006, and was prohibited from working legally after his release.

CSW said Lamelas was originally detained in Feb. 2006 and charged with human trafficking. His home and most of the family's belongings were confiscated by the government. CSW believes Lamelas was targeted because of his public criticism of government interference in internal religious affairs during his time as leader of the Church of God denomination. 

CSW said he was released in June 2006 after a massive international campaign, but the charges were not dropped. In Dec. 2006 he was put on trial. However, the state prosecutor failed to appear and he was found innocent. 

Despite the positive verdict, CSW said, the family home and belongings were not returned. For the past five years they have lived in cramped conditions in the one bedroom apartment of Lamelas' elderly parents in Old Havana.

Because of the work prohibition, CSW said, Lamelas and his wife depended mainly on support from family and friends.

Since Lamelas' detention, CSW said its sources in Cuba have reported a change in tactics by the authorities from overt forms of persecution, such as the destruction of churches and lengthy prison terms, towards short-term detentions and the more targeted harassment of pastors.

CSW said it believes this is an attempt to deflect international attention from the ongoing harassment of pastors.

CSW said there are also consistent reports from pastors of all denominations of government interference in church affairs, and official pressure being brought to bear against church leaders who refuse to expel families of political prisoners from their churches.

Methodist Pastor Yordi Toranzo was recently removed from his position by the Methodist Bishop Ricardo Pereira Dias because of his refusal to deny pastoral support to human rights activists and members of the political opposition.

Andrew Johnston, CSW advocacy director said in a news release, "We are relieved that the Lamelas family will finally be able to carry on with their lives free from government harassment. It is unacceptable, however, that this was only made possible by leaving the country. We know that the decision to leave their country was not made easily, and their departure is a great loss for Cuba."

He added, "CSW continues to call on the Cuban government to cease its interference in the activities of religious organizations, and to cease its persecution of those who promote religious freedom."

CSW is a Christian organization working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

For further information, go to www.csw.org.uk.

Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter,http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City."


Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available at http://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds atjeremyreynalds@comcast.net.