All posts

“I want to be a good man” – an interview with David Rosales, son of Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo 

Posted on by cswpress in Cuba, Latin America

CSW spoke with David Rosales, son of Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo, pastor of the independent church Monte de Sión in Palma Soriano, who today is serving a seven-year prison sentence in the Boniato Maximum Security Prison in Santiago de Cuba. 

The religious leader was accused in December 2021 of public disorder, criminal incitement, disrespect and assault, after he and his son David participated in the national protests on 11 July 2021. The Cuban regime, using false information and witnesses, accused Lorenzo and David of responsibility for wounds suffered by ‘seven public order agents and one civil servant who was taking care of the institution. At the same time, they damaged the state bus, which was parked where the acts took place.” 

On 17 July 2021 David Rosales was released under precautionary bail because of his participation in the protests. This measure was modified, and David was exonerated from criminal proceedings after a fine, paid on 19 August 2021, was imposed.  

Continue reading ““I want to be a good man” – an interview with David Rosales, son of Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo “ →

“Quiero ser un hombre de bien” – una entrevista con David Rosales, hijo del pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo

Posted on by cswpress in Cuba ES, español, Latin America ES

La CSW habló con David Rosales, hijo del pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo de la iglesia independiente Monte de Sión en Palma Soriano, quien hoy purga una sentencia de 7 años de prisión en la Prisión de Boniato en Santiago de Cuba.

El religioso fue acusado en diciembre de 2021 de desórdenes públicos, instigación a delinquir, desacato y atentado, luego de que él y su hijo David participaran en la protesta nacional el 11 de Julio de 2021. Con información y testigos falsos, el régimen Cubano acusó a Lorenzo y David de ser los causantes de las lesiones de “7 agentes del orden y una funcionaria que custodiaba la institución. A su vez, dañaron un ómnibus del sector estatal estacionado en el lugar de los sucesos”.

El 17 de julio de 2021 se le impuso a David Rosales una medida cautelar de fianza por su participación en los hechos. Esta medida fue modificada y David fue exonerado del proceso penal tras imponérsele una multa que fue abonada el 19 de agosto de 2021.

Continue reading ““Quiero ser un hombre de bien” – una entrevista con David Rosales, hijo del pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo” →

强迫失踪受害者国际日：来自中国的故事

Posted on by cswpress in Asia CN, China CN, chinese

自2006年以来，高智晟律师多次遭中共政权绑架、酷刑和拘留。2019年，他的妻子耿和女士告诉国际人权服务社，被强迫失踪“已成为他的生活常态”。

在这次采访中，她还说：“十几年来，我跟孩子从没有享受过普通人家团圆的欢乐……我们只有一个愿望：高智晟活着，活着回家。”

2009年，耿女士被迫带孩子们流亡海外。不久前，她刚刚纪念了又一个悲伤的周年纪念日：她的丈夫最近一次被失踪已满五年。

Continue reading “强迫失踪受害者国际日：来自中国的故事“ →

International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances – Stories from China

Posted on by cswpress in Asia, China

Gao Zhisheng has been kidnapped, tortured and detained on and off by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime since 2006. In 2019, his wife Geng He told the International Service for Human Rights that being disappeared has become “the norm in his life”.

In that same interview, she added, “My children and I have never experienced the common happiness of united families… We only have one wish, which is that Gao Zhisheng is alive and that he can come back home alive.”

Ms Geng, who has been in exile along with her and Gao’s children since 2009, has just marked another sad anniversary: the fifth anniversary of her husband’s most recent disappearance.

Continue reading “International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances – Stories from China“ →

India at 75: A nation under siege

Posted on by cswpress in Asia, India

India celebrates its 75th year of independence from the British on 15 August. Every year this day is commemorated by remembering the innumerable sacrifices Indians made in their pursuit of freedom and self-rule. But year after year the question of whether this is the vision of India that the nation’s forefathers and freedom fighters gave their lives for becomes ever more pressing.

Even as there was much to celebrate on 15 August 1947, independence came with a heavy price. Just a day before, on 14 August, India was torn into two; the painful partition of India and Pakistan along the lines of religion has continued to have profound effects on the lives of people on both sides.

If anything, 75 years later, these communal divides seem to be growing bigger. There has been much debate on the partition in the intervening decades – who is to blame, what went wrong and what could have been done. But just as the debates continue, the hatred continues to grow.

Continue reading “India at 75: A nation under siege“ →