A life of struggle and survival: the reality of religious oppression in Cuba

Posted on 01/02/2024 by cswpress in Cuba, Latin America

Father Alberto Reyes Pías is a Roman Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Camagüey, Cuba. He is one of the most articulate voices on freedom of religion or belief in Cuba and continues to courageously speak out about the Cuban government’s systematic violations of this right. This is a transcript of a presentation he gave as part of a panel discussion moderated by CSW, at the 2024 International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, DC.

In Cuba, one of the most subtle mechanisms of evil is what we call “normalisation” which is nothing more than evil becoming a habitual part of our life. We not only take its presence for granted, but also focus our energies not on eliminating it and freeing ourselves from it, but on figuring out how to continue walking, despite it hindering our steps, tying our hands, and oppressing our throat.

In appearance, religious freedom is respected in Cuba. In general, churches are open, worship is allowed, catechesis exists, young people gather, one can openly talk about God, possess a Bible, and wear religious symbols. Yet, in Cuba, there is a thirst for God. Pastoral agents focus on serving those seeking an experience with God that touches their lives, even at the cost of accepting as “normal” what is not.

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Una vida de lucha y supervivencia: la realidad de opresión religiosa en Cuba

Posted on 01/02/2024 by cswpress in Cuba ES, español, Latin America ES

Padre Alberto Reyes Pías es un sacerdote católico romano en la Arquidiócesis de Camagüey, Cuba. Es una de las voces más articuladas sobre la libertad de religión o de creencias en Cuba y continúa denunciando con valentía las violaciones sistemáticas de este derecho por parte del gobierno cubano. Esta es una transcripción de una presentación que hizo como parte de un panel de discusión moderado por la CSW, en la Cumbre Internacional de Libertad Religiosa de 2024 en Washington, DC.

Uno de los más sutiles mecanismos del mal es lo que llamamos “la normalización”, que no es otra cosa que el mal convertido en parte habitual de la vida, de modo que no sólo damos por hecho su presencia sino que enfocamos nuestras energías no en eliminarlo y liberarnos de él sino en ver cómo podemos seguir caminando a pesar de que nos traba los pies, nos ata las manos y nos oprime la garganta.

Aparentemente, en Cuba se respeta la libertad religiosa: las iglesias están abiertas, los cultos son permitidos, las catequesis existen, los jóvenes se reúnen, se puede hablar abiertamente de Dios, poseer una Biblia, portar signos religiosos… Y como en este momento en Cuba hay tanta sed de Dios, los agentes de pastoral nos enfocamos en atender a toda esa gente que viene buscando una experiencia de Dios que toque su vida, pero al precio de asumir como “normal” lo que no lo es.

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‘Emperor of Hindu hearts’: Narendra Modi rebranded

Posted on 31/01/202431/01/2024 by cswpress in Asia, India

Millions of Hindus in India and across the world watched with pride as India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the grand Ram Mandir (Ram temple) in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on 22 January.

It was a historic moment that many devotees had been waiting to witness for decades. This is the site that is believed to be the birthplace of one of the most revered Hindu deities, Ram, and the inauguration of the temple or the Pran Pratishta ceremony (the act of consecrating the idol in the temple and bringing it to life) held deep religious significance.

More than 7,000 people were invited as guests, including top Bollywood celebrities, cricketers, large business owners and about 4,000 Hindu priests. There were seas of saffron not just in Ayodhya but across the country where people gathered in smaller local temples to celebrate the occasion.

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Police van and cyclist in Beijing, China

模糊定义与随意打压令中国宗教少数群体的处境更加艰难

Posted on 24/01/2024 by cswpress in Asia CN, China CN, chinese

“从来没有哪个机关站出来说我们定了哪些是邪教或邪教组织。这个问题我向侦察人员、检察员、审判人员都问过：‘你们说，在什么地方能查到，哪个部门把比方说呼喊派定为邪教或邪教组织？’我不下几十次在法庭上质问控方，‘有没有？’从来没有一个人说‘有，我可以给你找到’，把文件拿出来。”
中国人权律师

被认定为”邪教“就会被中国共产党公开追捕和迫害。在习近平执政期间，中国几乎所有宗教信仰团体的处境都伴随着全国各地恶化的人权状况而变得更加糟糕。不过，被贴上”邪教“标签的团体已数十载面临困境。

什么是”邪教“？

自1997年10月以来，”邪教“在中国一直是非法的。根据刑法第300条定罪，”组织、利用邪教组织破坏法律实施“，可判处三至七年有期徒刑，或更长刑期。

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Vague definitions and arbitrary crackdowns make the struggle of China’s religious minorities that much harder

Posted on 22/01/202422/01/2024 by cswpress in Asia, China

‘I have asked investigative officers, prosecutors and judges: Where can you find me a document in which a department has designated, let’s say, the Shouters as a xie jiao or a xie jiao organisation? I have asked the prosecution dozens of times in court whether there is such a thing. No one has ever said “Yes, I can find it for you” or showed me such a document.’
Chinese human rights lawyer

To be designated xie jiao is to be openly pursued and persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Under the rule of Xi Jinping the situation for almost every religion or belief community in China has deteriorated amid a worsening picture for human rights across the country, but for groups labelled xie jiao, this has been a reality for decades.

What is xie jiao?

Xie jiao – usually translated into English as ‘heterodox teachings’ or ‘evil cults’ – has been illegal in China since October 1997. It is criminalised under Article 300 of the Criminal Law, which prohibits ‘organizing/using xie jiao to undermine implementation of the law’ and carries a punishment of three to seven years imprisonment, ‘or more’.

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