ICC Note: A pastor from Cuba, Juan Carlos Núñez Velázquez, is currently awaiting the results of his appeal after he was sentenced to one year of house arrest. Núñez Velázquez was initially sentenced in late October after neighbors complained that his church’s sound system was being played too loud, despite the fact that the sound system was never assessed for violations of the regulations. This pastor has faced many trials in his ministry in addition to this recent sentence, including the demolition of his church building in January.

11/01/2016 Cuba (Christian Solidarity Worldwide) – Reverend Juan Carlos Núñez Velázquez from Las Tunas in eastern Cuba is awaiting the outcome of his appeal against his one-year sentence of house arrest.

He was found guilty on 21 October of violating the environmental protection law following complaints from neighbours that his church’s sound system was too loud. Reverend Núñez Velázquez was only given two days notice of his court date and his lawyer did not have adequate time to prepare his defence. During the trial, Reverend Núñez Velázquez was only allowed four witnesses, while the prosecution had ten.

Reverend Núñez Velázquez was due to appear in court on 28 October to hear the exact conditions of his house arrest, however as a result of the appeal he filed on 25 October, the hearing was cancelled and while he awaits the outcome of the appeal he is currently able to leave his house.

Reverend Núñez Velázquez’s church belongs to the Apostolic Movement, an unregistered network of Protestant churches. The church building, which was located on his private property, was demolished on 8 January and since then the church has been forced to meet in the courtyard of the house.

On 23 September, Reverend Núñez Velázquez was notified by the Environmental Organisation (CITMA) that his neighbours had complained that his church’s sound system was too loud during Sunday services. However, the sound system used by the church adheres to environmental regulations and at no point did CITMA officially assess the sound system for its compliance to the legislation before bringing charges. In addition, from 22 to 25 September 2016, around the time the accusations were brought against Rev. Núñez Velázquez, local carnivals were held in Las Tunas, during which loud music was playing 24 hours a day.

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