The UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, David Lammy MP, has called for the release of Cuban Protestant pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo, who has been imprisoned since July 2021. In a letter dated December 10, marking Human Rights Day, Lammy expressed solidarity with Pastor Rosales Fajardo and condemned Cuba’s widespread repression.
“We stand in solidarity with you and so many other Cubans who are victims of widespread repression,” Lammy wrote, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to monitoring human rights in Cuba and urging the Cuban authorities to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.
Pastor Rosales Fajardo was arrested during peaceful protests across Cuba on July 11, 2021. Later that year, he was convicted of charges including “disrespect,” “assault,” “criminal incitement,” and “public disorder.” Originally sentenced to eight years in prison, his sentence was reduced to seven in May 2022.
Initially detained at the Boniato Maximum Security Prison, Pastor Rosales Fajardo was transferred to a minimum-security facility closer to his family in early 2023. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled in February 2024 that his detention was arbitrary, adding international pressure to calls for his release.
Human rights group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has been at the forefront of advocating for Pastor Rosales Fajardo’s freedom. CSW’s Ellis Heasley described the UN’s statement as pivotal, stating, “It gives a mandate to governments like our own to engage with Cuba and say this is unjust, this is arbitrary. They can raise the case, put pressure on the Cuban government, and ultimately secure his release.”
Pastor Rosales Fajardo’s wife, Maridilegnis Carballo, and their family continue to campaign tirelessly for his freedom. The case has become a symbol of the broader struggle for human rights and religious freedom in Cuba.
The UK government’s intervention underscores international concern over Cuba’s treatment of political and religious figures and highlights the ongoing need for advocacy and action.
