Christian Post is reporting that two Evangelical families living in the municipality of Huejutla de los Reyes in the province of Hidalgo in central Mexico had their water cut off and were forced to pay a fine because they refused to deny their faith.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), in 2019 several Evangelical families in the area were coerced to renounce their faith in writing after pressure from community leaders.

However, two families, Cruz Hernández and Santiago Hernández, refused and continued to hold church services in their homes.

As a result, the community leaders allegedly denied the two families access to municipal water and sewer services and as well benefit programs provided by the local government.

In early 2020, the two families were finally allowed access to the services after they signed an “extra-legal agreement” that they would no longer hold services in their homes and agreed to pay a $3,000 fine.

It is alleged, such agreements are used by some officials to get around legal provisions that do not allow them to discriminate against people based on their religion. According to CSW, the fine allegedly covered the costs of the community leaders who are being investigated for violating the two families’ human rights.

The state actually helped pay part of the two families fines, but in the meantime community leaders are continuing to pressure the two families forcing them to attend several meetings and as well threatening to have them removed from their homes.

READ: Evangelical families in Mexico lose access to water, services for refusing to deny their faith