Persecution in Cuba: an NGO recorded at least 936 attacks by the dictatorship against religious freedom in 2023

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The attacks of the Cuban regime against religious freedom on the island continue to grow, according to a report by the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH). The report indicates that in 2023, at least 936 actions were taken against the exercise of religious freedoms in Cuba, with a particular focus on the ban on religious processions during Holy Week.

The OCDH stated that the Cuban regime uses surveillance and control systems to limit or persecute any public expression, especially political, of those who practice their faith. The report highlighted that arbitrary arrests and the siege of family homes to prevent attendance at religious services were common repressive actions.

The report also mentioned the opposition group Ladies in White, who were victims of several hundred anti-religious actions, specifically targeting their freedom of worship.

In response to these violations, organizations and opponents in Miami have called for the UN to expel the Cuban regime from its Human Rights Council. They argue that the permanent violation of human rights on the island warrants such action and are urging the international community to boycott Cuba.

Despite calls for solidarity with the Cuban people, the United States, Canada, and the European Union were criticized for maintaining an ambiguous policy towards the Cuban regime. Cuban dissidents continue to demand the release of political prisoners and an end to the repression of dissent on the island.

The Cuban regime recently rejected 28 recommendations related to freedom of expression and association during the Universal Periodic Review. This rejection has been seen as a lack of commitment by the Cuban authorities to their international obligations regarding human rights.

As the situation in Cuba continues to deteriorate, international pressure is mounting against the Cuban regime to respect religious freedoms and human rights on the island.