Jul 16, 2018 after initially targeting only male jehovahs witnesses, russian lawenforcement agencies this month arrested a woman, anastasiya polyakova, a follower of the denomination in the siberian city. The latest in this news involves a group of people who may have recently knocked on your door. Apr 21, 2017 according to the witnesses, extremism is profoundly alien to biblebased beliefs and morality of members of the jehovahs witnesses faith. Moscows campaign against jehovahs witnesses a threat to. These range from official warnings to dismissals to refusal to allow jehovahs witnesses to perform alternative service to acts of violence, arson and vandalism.
Jehovahs witnesses banned in russia supreme court declares. Apr 26, 2017 the jehovah s witnesses had a small and persecuted following in the soviet union. And jehovahs witnesses now are under sustained attack in russia. May 17, 2016 under russia s antiextremism law, jehovah s witnesses, who number fewer than 200,000, could be barred from practicing their religion in russia. Religious freedom and the jehovahs witnesses in russia. We were brainwashed, exjehovahs witnesses tell russian. For the past few months, russias 175,000 jehovahs witnesses have been on edge. Moscow asianews the russian federation s supreme court s decision to ban the activity of jehovah s witnesses on april 20, is stirring up reactions and comments in russia and the world, raising.
Throughout the history of jehovahs witnesses, their beliefs, doctrines, and practices have. The jehovahs witnesses are mostly regarded as slightly ludicrous in the uk. However, a surprising calm that, despite the obvious excitement retain hundreds of. Then, headquarters of jehovahs witnesses may change a teaching to agree with the view of the member who voiced disagreement, yet, that member may be. The governing body of jehovahs witnesses is inviting the over 8,000,000 witnesses worldwide to participate. Jehovahs witnesses books appeared in russia at the beginning of the 20th century. International response to russias supreme court decision. Jehovahs witnesses are effectively banned in russia. Russia bans jehovahs witnesses, calling it an extremist group. Uk statement on the situation of jehovahs witnesses in the russian. Jehovahs witnesses leaflets promoting information posing a threat to health were provided as evidence by the ministry of justice during the hearings, svetlana borisova, the ministrys representative said, as cited by ria novosti.
We will do everything possible to challenge the ruling, sergei cherepanov, a spokesperson for the jehovahs witnesses organization in russia said, according to interfax news agency. Russia bans jehovahs witnesses, background veterans today. The group has come under increasing pressure over the past year, including a ban on distributing literature deemed to violate. Jehovahs witnesses are subjected to criminal prosecution under article 282 of the criminal code of the russian federation akhtubinsk astrakhan region. Russia cant tell the difference between jehovahs witnesses. Meanwhile, the governing body of jehovahs witnesses is inviting the over 8,000,000 witnesses worldwide to participate in the letterwriting campaign. Vyborg city court upheld prosecutors request to rule the. Moscow asianews the russian federations supreme courts decision to ban the activity of jehovahs witnesses on april 20, is stirring up reactions and comments in russia and the world, raising. Jun 01, 2017 since the russian supreme court on april 20 declared the jehovahs witnesses an extremist group, its members have faced increasing harassment from both authorities and suspicious neighbors. Courtesy of jehovah s witnesses o n thursday, february 28, the u. Apr 25, 2017 the jehovahs witnesses are mostly regarded as slightly ludicrous in the uk.
Another jehovah s witness sentenced by court february 18, 2020 jehovah s witnesses subjected to prison brutality february 15, 2020 another case of torture of jehovah s witness reported february 14, 2020 two more jehovah s witnesses convicted in russian far east february 14, 2020. Aug 18, 2017 the beleaguered russian community of jehovah s witnesses says it will fight in court a ban on its version of the bible in the latest blow against the religious group. A court in poland has refused to extradite former vice president of corporate finance at probusinessbank, yaroslav alekseev, to russia. Apr 20, 2017 jehovahs witnesses said they would appeal against the ruling. Russian court bans jehovahs witnesses as extremist group. Within russia today, we see the truthfulness of that stunning prophecy spoken by jehovah some 2,450 years agoas the sun sets on jehovahs loyal ones in the western city of kaliningrad, it is already rising 11 time zones to the east on the publishers on the chukchi peninsula, just across the. The complete new world translation of the bible is now available in asl. The condemnation of the russian action follows a lawsuit lodged at the countrys supreme court on 15 march to declare the jehovahs witnesses administrative center extremist, to liquidate it. Jehovahs witnesses, fleeing russia crackdown, seek shelter. Why care that russias jehovahs witnesses face persecution. The persecution of jehovahs witnesses for their refusal to salute the flag became known as the flagsalute cases.
Russia bans jehovahs witnesses translation of bible. The witnesses are appealing the charges against them as well as the legality of the warning against their national administrative center. The ban came after the countrys ministry of justice declared the group an extremist organization, suspended its headquarters in st. Why is putins russia so afraid of jehovahs witnesses. Jws, as they are known and call themselves, might seem an odd addition to that list.
On april 20, the russian supreme court declared jehovahs witnesses, a christian denomination that rejects violence, an extremist group and banned it from operating on russian territory. Mar 28, 2017 headquarters of jehovahs witnesses changes its teachings many times and will direct jehovahs witnesses to shun any fellow jehovahs witnesses who voice disagreement with the changes. Jehovahs witnesses mobilize global response to threat of. Apr 28, 2017 on april 20, the russian supreme court declared jehovahs witnesses, a christian denomination that rejects violence, an extremist group and banned it from operating on russian territory. Director of the osce office for democratic institutions and human rights odihr michael georg link urged the russian authorities to ensure that the rights to freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association of individuals belonging to the jehovahs witnesses community are upheld.
May 5, 2018 saint petersburg city court upholds ruling that allows state seizure of the administrative center of jehovahs witnesses in russia. Moscow russia s supreme court on thursday declared jehovahs witnesses, a christian denomination that rejects violence, an extremist organization, banning the group from operating on. Personally, i think jehovahs witnesses combine the worst features of an international corporation that exploits its own members, and a totalitarian state. Petersburg this week for violating a russian law against extremism. For jehovahs witnesses in russia, practicing their faith means risking.
May 01, 2017 a supreme court ruling puts the jehovah s witnesses at risk of property seizure and prison over the sect s proselytization and radical beliefs. So loud process seems unordinary event for court empl. Jehovahs witnesses are banned in china, parts of africa and some former soviet republics. Jehovahs witnesses announce the completion of the new world translation in american sign language. Apr 12, 2017 in the case of jehovahs witnesses, the putative extremism seems to derive mostly from the groups absolute opposition to violence, a stand that infuriated soviet and now russian authorities whose legitimacy rests in large part on the celebration of martial triumphs, most notably over nazi germany in world war ii but also over rebels in syria. Russian authorities are seeking to liquidate the national legal entity of jehovahs witnesses for alleged extremist activity, effectively banning the witnesses throughout the federation. The persecution of jehovah s witnesses for their refusal to salute the flag became known as the flagsalute cases. Why russias new ban on jehovahs witnesses is so troubling. Echr rejects grand chamber referral of russian jehovahs. In practice, it affects members of nonrussianorthodox religious groups, including jehovahs witnesses, members of the church of latterday saints, and protestant christians. Russian court bans jehovahs witnesses as extremist. In a statement published wednesday, the jehovahs witnesses claimed the russian justice ministry failed to specify a legal basis for the ban, which appears to be part of russias antiextremism. Dennis christensen, a danish jehovahs witness sentenced to six years in prison in russia, walks down a hallway.
Did trump warn russia over jehovahs witnesses ban and. Russian supreme court looks set to ban jehovahs witnesses. Their refusal to salute the flag became considered as a test of the liberties for which the flag stands, namely the freedom to worship according to the dictates of ones own conscience. Law enforcement authorities across russia have dramatically escalated the nationwide persecution of jehovahs witnesses in the past 12 months, human rights watch said today. Top russian court bans jehovahs witnesses, claiming. Russias federal security service, the fsb, also holds the. After their activities were legalized after the soviet breakup, its number of active members rose to more. In august 2017, all jehovahs witness organizations were placed on the official list of banned organizations, sparking a subsequent wave. May 08, 2017 a court in poland has refused to extradite former vice president of corporate finance at probusinessbank, yaroslav alekseev, to russia.
Apr 21, 2017 russia has banned jehovah s witnesses as an extremist group, in a sign of the russian orthodox church s political influence. So loud process seems unordinary event for court employees. Apr 20, 2017 for the past few months, russia s 175,000 jehovah s witnesses have been on edge. Steve inskeep speaks with washington post reporter andrew roth in.
According to vedomosti with reference to the local tvp info channel, the judge considered that alekseevs extradition was legally unacceptable, since he was a member of jehovahs witnesses, and its members get prosecuted, arrested and sentenced to long terms. Threatened with an imminent ban on their worship in russia, jehovahs witnesses are responding with a direct appeal to the kremlin and supreme court officials for relief through a global letterwriting campaign. After years, even decades, of persecution against the religious group, the kremlin moved to get rid of the. The russian orthodox church is predominant in russia, and some of its members have pushed to outlaw or curb the jehovahs witnesses. The group has come under increasing pressure over the past year. Jehovahs witnesses mobilize global response to threat of ban in russia on march 15, 2017, russias ministry of justice filed a claim with the supreme court of the russian federation to label the administrative center of jehovah. July 17, 2017 appellate chamber of the russian federation supreme court upholds april 20 decision. As a last ditch effort, russian jehovah s witnesses intend to appeal to the european court of human rights. Russia labels jehovahs witnesses an extremist group. Russia bans jehovahs witnesses as extremist group csglobe. On thursday, after six days of hearing, russias supreme court issued a ruling banning all activities of the jehovahs witnesses in the country and ordered that all the assets of the organization be liquidated. Persecution of jehovahs witnesses in russia intensifies. More than 90 printed booklets of the organization have been found to contain extremist materials. Why putins persecution of jehovahs witnesses should worry.
New yorkwith a large number of observers in attendance, the supreme court of the russian federation continued into its fourth day of hearings, considering a claim from the ministry of justice to liquidate the administrative center of jehovahs witnesses in russia. Jehovahs witnesses banned as extremist in russia, property. The alleged extremism includes refusing blood transfusions, publishing. Why russia is afraid of jehovahs witnesses associated press. Jehovahs witnesses shuns political activity and has no record of even peaceful never mind violent hostility to the russian authorities. Russia from the suns rising even to its setting my name will be great among the nations. They have odd beliefs about blood and a slightly unhealthy interest in the end of the world and thats the end of. On july 17, 2017, a threejudge panel of the appellate chamber of russias supreme court upheld the courts april 20 decision to liquidate the religious organization administrative center of jehovahs witnesses in russia and the local religious organizations that are part of its structure and to turn over to the russian federation all property of the liquidated religious. Branded extremists, russias jehovahs witnesses preach the. The beleaguered russian community of jehovahs witnesses says it will fight in court a ban on its version of the bible in the latest blow against the religious group. The jehovahs witnesses, which has some 175,000 followers in russia, first legally registered as a religious group in russia in 1991 and reregistered in 1999, according to the organizations. Their website and some publications are already banned. On open display was what does the bible really teach. Apr 22, 2017 the jehovahs witnesses intend to appeal judge yury ivanenkos decision and have said that, if necessary, they will take their case to the european court of human rights in strasbourg.
Jehovahs witnesses, fleeing russia crackdown, seek. Russia has banned jehovahs witnesses as an extremist group, in a sign of the russian orthodox churchs political influence. An exjw psychologist weighs in on the russian ban, with an encouraging word of advice for activists by karuna on april 29, 2017 the community of ex jehovahs witnesses has been recently shaken up by a discussion about the ban of the jehovahs witnesses organisation in russia. Jehovahs witnesses mobilize global response to threat of ban. In the case of jehovahs witnesses, the putative extremism seems to derive mostly from the groups absolute opposition to violence, a stand that infuriated soviet and now russian authorities whose legitimacy rests in large part on the celebration of martial triumphs, most notably over nazi germany in world war ii but also over rebels in syria. Under russias antiextremism law, jehovahs witnesses, who number fewer than 200,000, could be barred from practicing their religion in russia. At the courthouse at cook street parked a large bus full of obviously bored police officers. There are some 175,000 jehovahs witnesses in russia, many of whom have decried the russian governments efforts to shut them down. Law enforcement authorities across russia have dramatically escalated.
After initially targeting only male jehovahs witnesses, russian lawenforcement agencies this month arrested a woman, anastasiya polyakova, a follower of the denomination in the siberian city. The supreme court had already upheld the closure of local chapters of the jehovahs witnesses in oryol, belgorod, samara, and other cities. On april 20, 2017, the russian supreme court declared the administrative center of jehovahs witnesses in russia an extremist organization, disbanded it, and prohibited it from operating in russia. The russian government should know those behind the plot to ban the preaching activities of jehovahs witnesses in russia. Resolutions were adopted unanimously by all jehovahs witnesses worldwide reaffirming their submission to jehovah, the immediate end of the world, and their willingness to keep out this system of things that will soon disappear.
Delivered by ambassador neil bush at the osce permanent council on 12 march 2020. Russia just effectively banned jehovahs witnesses from the. Since the russian supreme court on april 20 declared the jehovahs witnesses an extremist group, its members have faced increasing harassment from. Legal and human rights issues affecting jehovahs witnesses worldwide. Jul, 2009 jehovahs witnesses are banned in china, parts of africa and some former soviet republics.
Apr 20, 2017 the jehovah s witnesses, which has some 175,000 followers in russia, first legally registered as a religious group in russia in 1991 and reregistered in 1999, according to the organization s. On july 21, 2015, the russian federation ministry of justice added jehovahs witnesses official website. Escalating persecution of jehovahs witnesses human. They also believed that after armageddon, jesus would rule the world from heaven with 144,000 faithful christians, as specified in the book of. The jehovahs witnesses claim more than 170,000 adherents in russia. As for russia, some say it will be difficult to prove their guilt. The jehovahs witnesses previously won a similar case against the russian government in 2010 in the european court of human rights, which overturned a decision to outlaw the religious group. Jehovahs witness bible, jewish, christian, muslim books. Strasbourg, october 8 rapsi, ingrid burke the european court of human rights echr rejected a request for referral to the grand chamber thursday of a case involving the rights of two jehovahs witnesses in russia whose medical records were disclosed to prosecution authorities as a consequence of their refusal to accept blood transfusions. Jehovahs witnesses persecuted in russia and worldwide. Russia bans jehovahs witnesses and labels group as. Russias ministry of justice has applied to have jehovahs witnesses activity, organization, and headquarters declared that of an extremist group.
Meanwhile, jehovahs witnesses are also trying to stop the prohibition as extremist of their russianlanguage new world bible. In russia, the persecution of jehovahs witnesses begins all over. Russia bans jehovahs witnesses, calling it an extremist. The condemnation of the russian action follows a lawsuit lodged at the country s supreme court on 15 march to declare the jehovah s witnesses administrative center extremist, to liquidate it. The jehovah s witnesses, which has some 175,000 followers in russia, first legally registered as a religious group in russia in 1991 and reregistered in 1999, according to the organization s. News from the associated press, the definitive source for independent journalism from every corner of the globe. Jul 18, 2018 in practice, it affects members of nonrussianorthodox religious groups, including jehovahs witnesses, members of the church of latterday saints, and protestant christians. Apr 20, 2017 jehovahs witnesses shuns political activity and has no record of even peaceful never mind violent hostility to the russian authorities. On 17 february 2012 hearings began in the criminal case against yelena grigoryeva, who is accused of disseminating among residents of akhtubinsk. Steve inskeep speaks with washington post reporter andrew roth in moscow. The russian branch of the jehovahs witnesses has vehemently denied the kremlins charges, stating that extremism is profoundly alien to the biblebased beliefs and morality of members of the. An exjw psychologist weighs in on the russian ban, with.
Osce concerned over ban of jehovahs witnesses in russia. The staff at the world headquarters of the jehovahs witnesses have compiled a list of 50 violations of the rights of believers just since the april 20 russian ban was imposed. According to vedomosti with reference to the local tvp info channel, the judge considered that alekseevs extradition was legally unacceptable, since he was a member of jehovahs witnesses, and its members get prosecuted, arrested and sentenced to long. Along the facade of the supreme court was stretched a long line of those who came to the process as listeners.
Russia just effectively banned jehovahs witnesses from. The jehovahs witnesses intend to appeal judge yury ivanenkos decision and have said that, if necessary, they will take their case to the european court of human rights in strasbourg. Shortly after a russian court labeled jehovahs witnesses as an extremist group in april 2017, a series of fake news articles were published claiming that president trump had offered asylum to. On 17 february 2012 hearings began in the criminal case against yelena grigoryeva, who is. Today, a trial began whereby the russian authorities intend to ban the jehovahs witnesses. Officers torture brother vadim kutsenko in chita, russia. Why putins persecution of jehovahs witnesses should.