Cuban authorities have released a Christian pastor who was jailed for homeschooling his son to prevent him learning socialism and atheism, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said Wednesday.
The bipartisan, independent watchdog announced that Ramón Rigal had been released from a Cuban jail, months after his wife’s release.
“While we welcome the release of Pastor Ramón Rigal and are thrilled that he is reunited with his family, this was not the first time that Pastor Rigal and his wife were arrested in relation to their religious beliefs,” said commission member James Carr.
Mr. Rigal and his wife were sentenced for crimes including “other acts against the normal development of a minor,” according to the commission. Mr. Rigal has stated that his son was bullied for his Christian beliefs.
While Cuba ended state-sponsored atheism nearly 30 years ago, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel enacted in April 2019 a constitution that removed provisions encouraging freedom of conscience.
Before those changes, the communist island nation had softly welcomed religious expression and hosted a visit from Pope Francis in 2015.
In its latest report, the commission recommended that the State Department keep Cuba on its “Special Watch List” of countries endangering religious freedom.
• Christopher Vondracek can be reached at cvondracek@washingtontimes.com.
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