NGO reports more religious-freedom violations under Raul Castro
August 18, 2009
A non-governmental organization that works on behalf of persecuted Christians notes “an increase in reported violations of religious liberty” since Raul Castro became head of the Communist state in February 2008. Christian Solidarity Worldwide cites the case of Roberto Rodriguez and his son Eric Gabriel Rodriguez, two Protestant pastors whose families have been subject to increasing intimidation and harassment. On August 17, Gilianys Meneses Rodriguez-- the wife of Pastor Eric Gabriel Rodriguez-- was summoned to court for “disturbing the public order” on the day she suffered a miscarriage.
Religious practice in the island nation has suffered deeply since Fidel Castro assumed power since 1959. Today, only 59% of the nation’s 11.3 million inhabitants are Catholic, according to Vatican statistics.
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