Russia suspends Jehovah’s Witnesses activities

angelburst29

The Living Force
In the period of 2009 through 2016, the Russian Justice Ministry recognized 95 materials circulated by the Jehovah’s Witnesses Managerial Center in Russia religious organization as the ones having an extremist nature, the ministry said in a report at its official homepage.

Russia calls about 100 materials of Jehovah’s Witnesses extremist
http://katehon.com/news/russia-calls-about-100-materials-jehovahs-witnesses-extremist

Friday, 31 March, 2017 - "In the period of 2009 through to 2016, ninety-five materials that Jehovah’s Witnesses brought into and circulated in Russia were found to have an extremist nature," the report said. "As many as eight local cells of the organization were recognized to be extremist ones, banned and disbanded since 2009."

The Jehovah’s Witnesses center underwent an unscheduled inspection of documents in the period of February 8 through February 27.

The report also said the Justice Ministry suspended all activities of the organization as of March 15 and until consideration of the case by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation.

As of March 15, the organization and its structural units cannot use the services of mass media, hold meetings or mass actions or public functions, or use bank accounts except for the purpose of paying bills and taxes, compensating for the losses inflicted upon others and paying out remunerations to the personnel they hire.

Reports on suspension of operations of the Jehovah’s Witnesses managerial center appeared in the media on March 23 when the Justice Ministry placed it on the list of public and religious organizations, the operations of which were suspended in the wake of their extremist actions.

On April 5, Russia’s Supreme Court will hear a lawsuit wherein the Justice Ministry seeks to recognize the Jehova’s Witnesses as a religious organization, to disband it and to ban its operations in Russia.
 
angelburst29 said:
On April 5, Russia’s Supreme Court will hear a lawsuit wherein the Justice Ministry seeks to recognize the Jehova’s Witnesses as a religious organization, to disband it and to ban its operations in Russia.

Wow, now that's a step towards progress! Russia is definitely ahead of our times in many ways...
 
On Thursday, Russia's Supreme Court has ruled the activities of the main center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia to be extremist, banning its work and seizing the property.

Russia's Supreme Court Deems Jehovah Witnesses Extremist, Bans Organization
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201704201052821725-russia-supreme-court-jehovah-witnesses-extremism/

Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Justice applied for an order to shut down the organization's national headquarters near St. Petersburg.

In March, the activities of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia – the largest Jehovah's Witnesses group in the country, with some 175,000 adherents, were suspended by the authorities.

According to the Justice Ministry, the suspension came as a result of the group conducting "extremist activity." DETAILS TO FOLLOW
 
Russia’s decision to ban Jehovah's Witnesses and to confiscate the organization’s assets in the country may lead to a sharp decline in the group’s numbers and help protect the rights of its adherents.

Jehovah's Witnesses Ban in Russia Helps Protect Its Members’ Rights
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201705211053836265-human-rights-ban-effect/

In April 2017 Russia’s Supreme Court sustained an earlier decision made by the Ministry of Justice to brand Jehovah's Witnesses as an extremist organization and to seize its properties in the country.

Following the ruling, the representatives of the organization declared that the group will appeal against the court's decision, stressing that the organization is prepared to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

This decision also prompted a number of prominent European officials, including the Minister of State at UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Joyce Anelay and Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Michael Georg Link, to express concern over the ban and argue that this move infringes on the freedom of religion.

However, Alexander Dvorkin, president of the Association of Centres for the Study of Religions and Sects, told RIA Novosti that these claims are part of a "very aggressive attack against Russia the likes of which we haven’t seen in quite a while."

"They’re trying to portray it as some kind of campaign against faith. But this is not a campaign against faith because the government cannot regulate people’s beliefs, and none of the Jehovah's Witnesses adherents are prohibited from practicing their religion," Dvorkin pointed out.

According to him, the government merely banned a select organization and cut off a substantial flow of money to it – nothing more, nothing less.

If you so desire, feel free to hold gatherings at your apartments and discuss your religion – no one is going to prevent you from doing so. However, I’m certain that in a few years the number of the organization’s adherents will decrease dramatically – by half or to a third of its original size. Because when the financial basis is cut off, along with the ability to freely recruit other people and rent large halls, people tend to quickly lose interest and begin to scatter. In that regard, this decision was very astute," Dvorkin said.

He also pointed out that the Ministry of Justice’s decision to shut down Jehovah's Witnesses HQ was aimed at protecting the rights of the group’s adherents.

"Jehovah's Witnesses maintains strict control over every aspect of its members’ lives, including even the most intimate moments of their family lives as spouses have to report on one another. All members have to keep an eye on each other, to spy on one another," he said.

Dvorkin ruefully added that he tried several times to contact human rights groups and to make them aware of the plight of people who fell victim of religious sects, but his pleas were ignored.

"Essentially, the struggle for human rights is being supplanted with the struggle for the rights of organizations which violate human rights. This is not human rights activity but rather its exact opposite," Dvorkin surmised.


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 Jehovah’s Witnesses community are upheld.

OSCE Concerned Over Ban of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia
https://sputniknews.com/world/201704251052993040-osce-jehovah-ban/

Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Michael Georg Link expressed concern on Tuesday over the Russian Supreme Court's decision to ban the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an extremist organization.

"I’m deeply concerned by this unwarranted criminalization of the peaceful activities of members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses communities in Russia, eliminating this community as a viable entity in the country. This Supreme Court decision poses a threat to the values and principles that democratic, free, open, pluralistic and tolerant societies rest upon," Link said, as quoted in the ODIHR statement.

He 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 Jehovah’s Witnesses community are upheld.

On Thursday, Russia's Supreme Court ruled that the activities of the Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia were extremist and banned them.

Judge Yury Ivanenko said the court also ruled to seize the center's property.



On Thursday, Russia's Supreme Court has ruled the activities of the main center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia to be extremist, banning its work and seizing the property.

Russia's Supreme Court Deems Jehovah Witnesses Extremist, Bans Organization
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201704201052821725-russia-supreme-court-jehovah-witnesses-extremism/

The Supreme Court has ruled to sustain the claim of Russia's Ministry of Justice and deem the 'Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' organization extremist, eliminate it and ban its activity in Russia," the judge Yuri Ivanenko ruled.

Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Justice applied for an order to shut down the organization's national headquarters near St. Petersburg.

The property of the 'Jehovah's Witnesses' organization is to be confiscated to the state revenue," the judge Yuri Ivanenko said.

Following the ruling, the representatives of the organization said that the group will appeal against the court's decision, stressing that the organization is prepared to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

The judicial ruling has not yet taken legal effect. Should the organization lodge an appeal, the ruling will come into legal force when the appellate resolution is announced. Otherwise, the ruling will become final within 30 days.

In March, the activities of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia – the largest Jehovah's Witnesses group in the country, with some 175,000 adherents, were suspended by the authorities.

According to the Justice Ministry, the suspension came as a result of the group conducting "extremist activity."
 
Thanks for posting Angelburst. I had seen a couple of headline on the Washington post, making absurd comment such as "Russia can't tell the difference between al-qaeda and Jehova Witnesses."


It's really hard to make a judgement on the topic considering the few details that have been discussed. Every article I've read, only seems to mention, "Ban because of extremist activities," but nothing on the specific details of what these activities were that prompted Russia to make such a move. Unfortunately, not having such details makes it very easy to undermine such a call as a violation of human rights.
 
Solie said:
Thanks for posting Angelburst. I had seen a couple of headline on the Washington post, making absurd comment such as "Russia can't tell the difference between al-qaeda and Jehova Witnesses."


It's really hard to make a judgement on the topic considering the few details that have been discussed. Every article I've read, only seems to mention, "Ban because of extremist activities," but nothing on the specific details of what these activities were that prompted Russia to make such a move. Unfortunately, not having such details makes it very easy to undermine such a call as a violation of human rights.

No specifics were given that I'm aware of, Solie - other than the mention of "extremist activity."

Notice that the Russian Government banned the organization "Jehovah Witnesses" not only due to extremist activity but also because it doesn't fall under the Title of the States and Government Laws as one of the main religions. It's not "a religion" per say but is a group incorporated organization, not entitled to Government religious funding, which they were receiving under "a non-profit exemption". It's like saying "Walmart Superstore is a religion?"

Since Putin's government tends to do extensive investigative work, before they do anything legally, it's my opinion that they probably have "just cause" for the actions they took?
 
No specifics were given that I'm aware of, Solie - other than the mention of "extremist activity."

Notice that the Russian Government banned the organization "Jehovah Witnesses" not only due to extremist activity but also because it doesn't fall under the Title of the States and Government Laws as one of the main religions. It's not "a religion" per say but is a group incorporated organization, not entitled to Government religious funding, which they were receiving under "a non-profit exemption". It's like saying "Walmart Superstore is a religion?"

Since Putin's government tends to do extensive investigative work, before they do anything legally, it's my opinion that they probably have "just cause" for the actions they took?

HUH! I actually was not aware of this fact! That actually makes sense as to why they would cut their religious funding. How interesting! Thanks for the info Angelburst!
 
Russian Justice Ministry Blacklists Jehovah's Witnesses as Extremist Group
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201708171056534991-jehovas-witnesses-russia/

Russian Justice Ministry has included 'The Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' religious organization and 395 affiliated religious organizations on the list of public associations and religious organizations, which have been liquidated or banned, according to official statement.

Russia's Ministry of Justice has officially listed Jehovah's Witnesses among non-governmental organizations disbanded for spreading extremism, the ministry said Thursday in a statement.

"The Russian Justice Ministry has included 'The Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' religious organization and 395 affiliated religious organizations on the list of public associations and religious organizations, other non-profit organizations, which have been liquidated or banned in accordance with an enforceable court ruling on the grounds of the Federal Law on Countering Extremist Activity," the statement reads.


The Russian Justice Ministry listed the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious group as a banned extremist organization after establishing that some of their practices could constitute a threat to society and public security.

No More Knocking On Our Doors, Extremist Cult Group Jehovah's Witnesses Get Kicked Out Of Russia
http://novorossia.today/en/news/no-more-knocking-our-doors-extremist-cult-group-jehovahs-witnesses-get-kicked-out-russia

Announcing the move, the ministry said that it came as a result of a Russian Supreme Court verdict dated April 20, 2017 and the order of the Appeals Collegium of the Supreme Court dated July 17, 2017, in accordance with the Federal Law on Countering Extremist Activities.

The action ends a lengthy legal battle between Russian authorities and the Jehovah’s Witnesses that lasted at least since 2004. During the standoff, Russian regional and federal authorities objected to the denomination’s rule that does not allow blood transfusions, especially in cases in which adult believers attempt to prevent the procedure from being performed on their children, thus putting their lives at risk.

Lawyers representing the Jehovah’s Witnesses argued that Russian law on extremism does not mention blood transfusion in any way and said that all restrictions observed by the members of the faith were derived from the Bible.

The courts rejected this defense, and in April this year, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation declared the group to be an “extremist organization” and ordered all of its 395 regional branches disbanded and all of their property handed over to the state.

In April, the Jehovah’s witnesses said they planned to appeal the ruling in the European Court of Human Rights.

According to a public opinion poll conducted by state-run research center VTSIOM in July this year, 76 percent of Russians support a ban on the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the country. Only five percent said they were against the ban.

In the same poll, 53 percent of people who knew about the denomination said that their attitude to it was negative, and 44 percent described it as neutral. 20 percent said that they heard the name Jehovah’s Witnesses for the first time during the poll, and 27 percent said that they only heard the name and knew nothing about the group.

When researchers asked those who have a negative attitude to the group regarding their motives, 18 percent called the Jehovah’s Witnesses a cult, 12 percent mentioned the obtrusive behavior of the door-to-door preachers, and 6 percent said that the group was coaxing its members to give them money.
 
According to the court findings, the Jehovah’s Witnesses administrative center in Russia transferred an estate on the shore of the Gulf of Finland to the Society as a donation in 2000.

Russian court turns properties of banned Jehovah’s Witnesses over to government December 08, 2017
http://tass.com/world/979788

A district court in St. Petersburg passed a resolution on Thursday to confiscate 16 items of real estate in St. Petersburg worth more than 880 million rubles [$14.9 mln], which belong to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania registered in the U.S., and to turn them over to the government, the united press service of city courts said on Thursday.

The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania received the immovable property from the Jehovah’s Witnesses administrative center in Russia that has been banned by the Russian authorities.

"The Sestroretsk district court entertained a lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor’s Office of the Kurortny district against the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania legal entity and confiscated in favor of the state the entity’s properties consisting of 16 items [land plots, residential houses, buildings] having the cadastral value of 881,407,566 rubles [$ 14,939,111]," the press service said.

According to the court findings, the Jehovah’s Witnesses administrative center in Russia transferred an estate on the shore of the Gulf of Finland to the Society as a donation in 2000. Later on, however, it continued using the compound - a fact proceeding from which the court recognized the transfer null and void.

The real estate will be turned over to government property.

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation declared the Russian affiliation of Jehovah’s Witnesses an extremist organization and banned its activities in this country.
 
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