In a troubling development for religious freedom in Cuba, two Assemblies of God pastors, Luis Guillermo Borjas and his wife, Roxana Rojas, have been detained and are facing an eight-year prison sentence following their invocation of religious beliefs during their son’s military tribunal.

The incident, which took place in Nueva Gerona, Isla de la Juventud, has drawn international attention and raised concerns about the Cuban government’s ongoing restrictions on religious expression.

According to the Christian Post, the couple was summoned to a military tribunal after their son, Kevin Laureido Rojas, fled a military facility where he had been forcibly conscripted despite a medical exemption due to psychiatric issues.

At the tribunal, Borjas and Rojas presented official documents from a medical commission supporting their son’s exemption. However, tensions escalated when the military prosecutor accused them of submitting false evidence.

In response, Pastor Borjas stated that the officials would be accountable to “God’s justice,” a remark that led to their immediate detention on charges of disrespect and disobedience to authorities.

The prosecutor deemed it illegal to reference God or divine justice in a military court, a move that Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a U.K.-based human rights organization, has condemned as unjust.

Pastor Borjas remains in custody at a local police station, while Roxana Rojas was hospitalized after collapsing following their detention.

Reports indicate that while in the hospital, she was harassed by an individual falsely claiming to be a nurse. The couple’s trial is scheduled for June 9, 2025.

Cuba’s tightly controlled religious landscape adds context to this case.

The Communist government requires all religious institutions to be officially registered, and unregistered groups often face surveillance, harassment, and restrictions on worship and assembly.

Even registered denominations, such as the Assemblies of God, to which Borjas and Rojas are affiliated, are not immune to scrutiny.

The Cuban authorities’ actions reflect a broader pattern of repressing religious leaders who challenge state policies or express their faith in ways deemed unacceptable by the regime.

CSW has called for the immediate release of Pastor Borjas and the dropping of charges against the couple, urging international pressure on the Cuban government to address this violation of religious freedom.

The organization’s Director of Advocacy, Anna Lee Stangl, emphasized that criminalizing a simple reference to religious beliefs is unacceptable and that the proposed eight-year sentence is disproportionate and unjust.

This case is not an isolated incident. Cuba has a history of targeting religious leaders and groups that operate outside state-sanctioned boundaries.

For instance, in 2021, Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo was sentenced to eight years in prison for participating in peaceful protests, though he was later released as part of a mass amnesty in January 2025.

Similarly, other pastors and religious figures have faced arrests, travel bans, and harassment for their advocacy or religious activities.

The detention of Borjas and Rojas has sparked outrage within Cuba’s Christian community.

A post on X from @DavidSiloetano on May 22, 2025, described the incident as a “painful” event that has shaken the body of Christ in Cuba, calling for urgent action and prayer.

The Assemblies of God in Cuba has also publicly requested prayers for the pastors and their son, expressing hope that the situation is a misunderstanding.

As the trial date approaches, the international community is watching closely.

The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by religious groups in Cuba, where the government’s control over religious expression continues to stifle freedom of belief.

Advocates are calling for renewed focus on Cuba’s human rights record, particularly its treatment of religious leaders who dare to speak out.