Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will take steps to tackle religious persecution in Cuba.

The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. We actively promote the right to FoRB through our diplomatic activity both directly with countries, and through multilateral fora including the UN where we call out countries that violate this human right.

The reports of the continued maltreatment of those religious leaders arrested by the Government of Cuba are concerning. We have raised the ongoing detentions of protestors directly with the Cuban Government, both in London and Havana. We are clear that human rights must be respected in Cuba: all Cubans should have the right to protest peacefully and detention must not be used as a tool to restrict freedom of expression, assembly, or religion or belief.