Pastor's wife who lost baby in street attack faces court today

Cuba - Pastor's wife who lost baby in street attack faces court today
17/08/2009

A Pastor's wife who miscarried after a neighbour attacked her, is facing
a Cuban court today accused by the authorities of 'disturbing the public
order' on that day.

Gilianys Meneses Rodriguez, daughter-in-law to Reverend Roberto
Rodriguez and wife to Pastor Eric Gabriel Rodriguez, was attacked on the
street by the wife of a neighbour in December 2008.

The attack was the latest in a campaign of harassment against the
Rodriguez family, carried out with the tacit support of the authorities,
due to the families' involvement in the Interdenominational Fellowship
of Evangelical Pastors and Ministers in Cuba (Spanish acronym; CIMPEC)
decision to leave the Cuban Council of Churches (CCC.)

The neighbours first contaminated the families' drinking water well,
broke the water pipes, and septic tank before accusing Gilianys' husband
of aggressive behaviour. As a result of the violence, Gilianys
miscarried after eight weeks pregnancy. The entire family has been
forced to move away from their home in Placetas due to concerns for
their safety.

Gilianys, a mother of two girls, is now the third member of the
Rodriguez family to be summoned to appear before the Placetas Tribunal.

Her father-in-law was national president of CIMPEC until October 2008
when the Cuban authorities removed him, following the decision of CIMPEC
to withdraw from the CCC. CIMPEC cited illegal government interference
in their internal affairs as the reason for their withdrawal.

The harassment and legal proceedings against the family began after the
difficulties between CIMPEC and the CCC. Reverend Roberto Rodriguez has
since been summoned to appear in court four times on charges of
'threatening behaviour.'

Gilianys' husband, Pastor Eric Gabriel Rodriguez, was tried on the same
charges as his father in December 2008 and has been sentenced to one
year probation.

There has been an increase in reported violations of religious liberty
since Raul Castro took power in early 2008.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of CSW, said: "We strongly condemn the
legal persecution of the Rodriguez family and in particular the latest
charges against Gilianys Meneses who has already suffered terrible
personal injustice. We call on members of the international community to
raise the case with the Cuban government as a matter of urgent concern
and ensure the harassment of this family ceases".

Press release article - Christian Solidarity Worldwide (17 August 2009)
http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=press&id=898