Overview:

• Cuba espouses state atheism.

• The Communist Party of Cuba controls the majority of religious activity in the country and the government is subordinate to the Party.

• Recognition and registration are amalgamated rather than ideally differentiated; legal registration is primarily focused on yet achieving registration does not grant the group capacity to conduct its activities freely without government interjection.

• The government stipulates broad and vague terms as to what a religious group must follow in order to easily accuse them of breaking such stipulations as then a means of deregistering them.

• The rule of mandatory registration violates the Bielefeldt provision; other aspects of the Cuban system also violate various aspects of the Durham principles.

• Subjective language in the legislation is widespread, making it easy for the government to manipulate the legislation to restrict religious activity.

Positive elements:

• Horizontal recognition is in effect.

Recommendations:

• Complete dismantlement of the restrictive policies and registration requirements, primarily the mandatory registration rule and excessive informational requirements.

• End all means of violence to maintain restrictions.