On June 28, 2024, the Alliance of Christians of Cuba (ACC) at its annual meeting adopted the following declaration:[1]
- “We are against the government policy of violating the right to freedom of religion and belief contained in article 18 of the International Bill of Human Rights. And we demand that the legal framework be drafted that allows new churches to be registered in order to have legal support within Cuban law. This is necessary so that the Cuban government or any social actor can be held to account when they violate freedom of religion and belief.”
- “We demand that the Cuban government respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which it is a signatory, and that it integrates the treaties on civil and political liberties that offer a legal framework for respect for the fundamental freedoms of human beings. This implies the immediate release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience who remain in the island’s prisons today, and the immediate cessation of the application of pre-criminal judicial processes because they directly violate the international right to the presumption of innocence, a right that is mentioned in the current constitution of the Republic of Cuba.“
- “We demand that the Cuban government respect and support the dignity of women and that violence and femicides within the island cease. For this we demand an economic opening that allows Cuban women to have a decent salary for their work and so that they are not forced to prostitute themselves to obtain food and cover the basic needs of their family. To mitigate against violence against women, we demand that police authorities focus their work on protecting citizens instead of spending their resources on persecuting those who think differently and demonstrate against government policy.”
- “We demand the cessation of all manifestations of slavery exercised by the Cuban government. The current situation of workers on the island continues to be precarious as, for their efforts, Cuban citizens do not receive a salary that covers their basic needs despite generating large income that ends up in the government’s coffers. We also support the international lawsuit for practicing slavery that the Cuban government faces because it uses “medical missions” as a source of foreign currency income for the country, in the process violating the fundamental rights of medical personnel working abroad.”
Background of the Alliance
The Alliance, which now has more than 60 congregation members, was founded in November 2022.
In November 2023 at its third national meeting its members of “various denominations” adopted a declaration “to strengthen the work of God in the Cuban nation with an emphasis on the establishment of God’s justice.” [2] By its terms the members “commit themselves:
- “To develop and maintain fellowship based in mutual respect and collaboration to help, heal, and edify our churches, communities, and nation from a basis of faith in the importance of family life, the inherent value and rights of all human beings, the respect for rule of law, appreciation for education, learning, the promotion of social justice, and the help for those in need, which form part of the foundation of Christian humanism.”
- “For this, through communion and unity, we will promote justice, truth, righteousness, and freedom of conscience of our rights as Cuban citizens.”
- “We commit ourselves to work for the healing of wounds in our damaged nation, divided by a failed social project which continues to strip its citizens of their dignity as human beings. We will strive to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding, respect and compassion between Cubans on the island and in the diaspora.”
- “We work and will work to advocate for more political economic, religious and social freedoms so that all Cubans can live in dignity and self-determination.”
- “We make it clear that as Christians and the church of Jesus Christ and as Cuban citizens we bless and honour the nation of Israel and we condemn, wholeheartedly, the acts of terrorism committed against that nation.”
- “We ask the authorities of the Cuban nation: For the liberation of all those imprisoned for exercising their inherent rights. That each religious movement on the island might exercise its right to associate, obtaining legal status and protection under the law. That they respect the right of each Cuban citizen to exercise all their inherent rights and that they do not persecute them for this.”
- “Brothers and sisters around the world, we ask, pray for the Cuban nation. God bless everyone. Long live Christ the King.”
ACC’s UK Ally (CSW)
ACC’s work has been approvingly mentioned by CSW (Christian Solidarity Worldwide), an international organization focused on religious freedom and based in the United Kingdom. Its “team of specialist advocates work on over 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, to ensure that the right to freedom of religion or belief is upheld and protected. Our vision is a world free of religious persecution, where everyone can practice a religion or belief of their choice.”[3]
Its most recent annual report has great details about Cuba.[4]
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[1] Declaration of the Alliance of Christians of Cuba June 2024, (06/28/24); Religious groups call for protections of religion or belief, csw.org (06/28/24); The Alliance of Christians of Cuba demands the regime release political prisoners and permits to register new churches, Diario de Cuba (06//28/24).
[2] Christian leaders call for change, csw.org (11/04/23)
[3 ] About CSW.
[4] CSW, Cuba: Report finds return to hardline tactics (03/14/24)
