Cuban regime holds pastor’s 16-year-old son captive amid ongoing crackdown on Christians

A 16-year-old boy whose father leads an independent Christian church in Cuba remains in state custody after security authorities detained him during a wave of unrest and arrests in the city of Morón, part of a broader crackdown that has drawn concern from religious freedom advocates and human rights groups.

Jonathan Muir Burgos, the teenage son of Evangelical Pastor Elier Muir Ávila, was detained Monday after he and his father responded to a police summons in Morón, Ciego de Ávila province, the United Kingdom-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports.

Authorities released Pastor Muir Ávila later that same day, while his son remained in detention and faced questioning over alleged participation in protests that took place in the city on Friday and Saturday.

Officials interrogated the teenager about his presence at the demonstrations and statements he may have made there, including whether he called for freedom during the protests. He has yet to receive formal charges, though authorities warned prosecutors could review the case within three days and that he could face prosecution under Cuban law.

Reports indicate Jonathan Muir Burgos is being held at the Technical Investigation Department in Ciego de Ávila, a branch of Cuba’s police system responsible for criminal investigations and interrogations. Relatives and activists have raised concerns over his health because he has a serious medical condition.

The arrests occurred amid rising unrest across parts of the island following several nights of nationwide power outages and severe shortages of food and medicine. Protests broke out in several locations, including Morón, where demonstrators gathered after seven consecutive nights of blackouts.

During demonstrations early Saturday, protesters ransacked and set fire to offices belonging to the Cuban Communist Party in Morón. One protester was reportedly shot during the unrest. Authorities also cut internet access in the city and surrounding areas as protests unfolded.

Independent reports describe a broader pattern of police activity in Morón following the demonstrations, including summonses, raids and arrests targeting many young people and minors, according to the Cuban news outlet CiberCuba.

The detention of Jonathan Muir Burgos has drawn particular attention among activists because his family has long experienced pressure linked to their religious work. His father leads the Tiempo de Cosecha church, an independent congregation outside the state-recognized religious system in Cuba.

Cuba maintains a regulatory framework in which religious organizations must receive government approval to operate. Churches operating outside that framework often face surveillance, warnings, and restrictions from authorities.

Pastor Muir Ávila received visits in 2024 from religious leaders acting at the request of the Office of Religious Affairs of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, as well as local government officials, who warned him that only churches accepted by the party could operate and only pastors recognized by the state could minister.

The detention of the pastor’s son resembles earlier cases in which relatives of church leaders faced pressure during periods of political unrest.

Rev. Mario Felix Lleonart Barroso, a Cuban religious freedom activist who leads the Patmos Institute, an independent civil society organization focused on religious rights in Cuba, pointed to similarities with the arrests of Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo and his teenage son following nationwide protests in July 2021.

In recent weeks, authorities have also attempted to compel the adult son of another unregistered pastor into military service, a step advocates say is part of pressure against independent religious communities.

Anna Lee Stangl, director of advocacy at Christian Solidarity Worldwide, called for the teenager’s immediate release and criticized the government’s response to dissent.

“CSW demands that the Cuban government immediately release Jonathan Muir Burgos into the custody of his parents,” Stangl said. “The detention of a 16-year-old child, with a serious medical condition, simply because he attempted to exercise his freedom of expression is unconscionable.”

The independent legal advisory group Cubalex documented 242 repressive events across Cuba in February involving 528 separate incidents of harassment across 44 categories of state repression.

Cubalex reported that 190 people experienced rights violations during that month, including 46 women and 144 men. Havana recorded the highest number of incidents, followed by Ciego de Ávila and Santiago de Cuba.

The most common abuses included violations against prisoners, violence or harassment, transfers between detention facilities, police surveillance operations, threats and arbitrary detentions.