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Agents of the State Security appeared this Sunday in Havana to take pastor Jatniel Pérez during the morning service, as reported by pastors Michel and Yamilet via social media in an urgent call for prayer.
The agents arrived in patrol car 110 and justified the detention as an "Immigration interview" that would last only 20 minutes, promising to return the pastor before the scheduled worship service at 10:00 a.m.
In addition to requiring his passport, the agents ordered him to bring his mobile phone, which Pérez had left at home, and it was confiscated at least temporarily.
“Agents from State Security (Political Police) just came to pick up Pastor Jatniel Pérez, justifying it as a supposed immigration interview for only 20 minutes, arguing that they would bring him back for the worship service that begins at 10:00 a.m. Another striking aspect of the situation is that they demanded, in addition to his passport, that he bring his mobile phone, which he had left at home and which was taken and confiscated, at least momentarily,” wrote Pastors Michel and Yamilet.
Pastor Pérez returned to the Temple on Avenida 26 at 11:56 a.m. Cuba time, according to the update published by those who issued the alert.
However, their release did not quell the accusations. "Once again, they chose a Sunday, a day of worship and reverence, to summon and interrupt the ministry of a pastor, a practice that has been repeated on various occasions," noted the protesting pastors.
Jatniel Pérez is the national president of the "William Carey" Bible Seminary and the lead pastor of the "Centro Bíblico Crecer" Reformed Baptist Church.
This is not the first time that State Security has harassed him: in November 2021, he was already summoned for interrogation twice in the same week.
The episode is part of a systematic pattern of religious repression documented in Cuba.
In March of this year, Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora was detained in Matanzas while leaving his home on his way to the church, and in April another pastor was arrested for praying in a public space, a case that was publicly denounced by the U.S. mission chief in Cuba, Mike Hammer.
In May 2025, two pastors from the Isle of Youth were detained after defending their son in a military trial, and the prosecution requested eight years in prison for both of them.
The figures reflect the magnitude of the problem: the Alliance of Christians in Cuba documented 996 repressive actions against religious leaders in 2024, and the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights reported 873 violations of religious freedom in 2025 and 231 in February 2026 alone.
The organization Open Doors ranks Cuba 24th on its World Watch List 2026.
"The fact that these actions are repeated time and again against religious leaders, especially on days of worship, remains unacceptable and a serious cause for concern. We will not remain silent in the face of repression, and we will continue to support, raise awareness, and pray for our brothers in Cuba," concluded pastors Michel and Yamilet.
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