Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo

Extra Bio Info:

Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo is imprisoned in relation to his religious leadership role.

On July 11, 2021, Rosales Fajardo, pastor and leader of the Monte de Sion Independent Church in Palma Soriano, and members of his church participated in peaceful protests in Palma Soriano.  When police and the military tried to block protestors from marching, Rosales Fajardo and his son, David Lorenzo Rosales Carballo, were detained and separated. His son was released on July 17, 2021.

Rosales Fajardo was initially held for a month in a state security facility in Santiago.  During his transfer there, he was reportedly severely beaten which caused him to lose a tooth. During that same attack, it is reported that the guards also urinated on him. Rosales Fajardo was reportedly charged with disrespect, public disorder, incitement, and assault. Rosales Fajardo was also held incommunicado for most of his detention, and his family has been repeatedly denied contact with him.

On August 7, 2021, Rosales Fajardo's wife, Maridilegnis Carballo, was finally allowed to speak with him for a three minute phone call. She had previously been blocked from bringing him food and hygiene items there.

On August 9, 2021, Rosales Fajardo was reportedly transferred to the Boniato Maximum Security Prison, outside Santiago de Cuba.

On October 22, 2021, it was learned that prosecutors are seeking to imprison Rosales Fajardo for ten years.

On an unspecified date following his trial on December 20 and 21, 2021, Rosales Fajardo was sentenced to eight years in prison.

In May 2022, it was reported that Rosales Fajardo's sentence was reduced by a year to seven years in prison.

In June 2022, it was reported that Rosales Fajardo's appeal had been rejected. 

On December 24, 2022, Rosales Fajardo was reportedly transferred from Boniato Maximum Security Prison to La Caoba, a minimum security prison in Palma Soriano. 

On February 16, 2024, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that the deprivation of Rosales Fajardo's liberty violated the numerous rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including Article 18's protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief. 

On June 4, 2024, it was reported that Rosales Fajardo has been severely beaten and abused while in detention.

Rosales Fajardo's wife has been threatened with imprisonment herself if she continues to speak out publicly about her husband's case.

Authorities have previously harassed Rosales Fajardo in relation to his religious activity. In 2012, they confiscated his church's property.