RUSSIA: First prosecution after Jehovah’s Witness ban

In the first prosecution since the Jehovah's Witness ban came into force, Kursk prosecutors are investigating a woman on "extremism" criminal charges for offering leaflets to passers-by. Elsewhere, Jehovah's Witness elder Yury Zalipayev is under...

US Condemns Russia’s Decision to Ban Jehovah’s Witnesses

The U.S. State Department is urging Russia to reconsider their new ban on the Jehovah's Witnesses.Monday, the Russian Supreme Court rejected an appeal on an earlier ruling that labeled the group extremist, ordering the Christian...

RUSSIA: Jehovah’s Witnesses now banned

Russia's Supreme Court has upheld liquidation of all Jehovah's Witness organisations as "extremist". If they exercise freedom of religion and belief, all Jehovah's Witnesses can now be criminally prosecuted. A Jehovah's Witness conscientious objector has...

Jehovah’s Witnesses ban comes into force in Russia after Supreme Court dismisses appeal

A ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses is to come into full force in Russia after a court dismissed an appeal against the group’s classification as an “extremist” organisation.The British and American governments were among those raising human rights...

Report: Supreme Court of Appeals is hearing an appeal against the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses

July 17, 2017,Minimize09:30Over the Moscow area Arbat, where the Supreme Court of Russia is located, dark clouds are walking. A large group of citizens gathered at the entrance to the court building, their number is approaching...

Russian Supreme Court to Hear Appeal on Monday

 Â  On Monday, July 17, 2017, a three-judge panel will consider the appeal of the Russian Supreme Court’s April 20 decision against Jehovah’s Witnesses. Further updates about the hearing will be provided using this new breaking news feature....

Kazakhstan Government Suspends Branch Operations of Jehovah’s Witnesses

On June 29, 2017, a Kazakhstan court ordered the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to suspend operations for three months and fined them approximately 680,000 KZT ($2,107).Leading up to the court decision, authorities...

RUSSIA: Changing administrative punishments for public events

Prosecutions under Administrative Code Article 20.2 for exercising freedom of religion and belief in public fell in 2016 as officials turned to "anti-missionary" Article 5.26 (Parts 3, 4, and 5), which came into force in...

Russia’s Supreme Court Ruling Has Negative Impact on Jehovah’s Witnesses

Russia’s Supreme Court decision of April 20, 2017, is having a severe nationwide impact on Jehovah’s Witnesses. Authorities are violating the Witnesses’ fundamental freedoms and criminalizing their religious activities. At the same time, some Russian citizens interpret...

President Putin Gives Parenting Award to Jehovah’s Witnesses

 NEW YORK, June 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 31, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the Order of "Parental Glory" to Valeriy and Tatiana Novik, Jehovah's Witnesses from Karelia, who raised eight children, during a ceremony in Moscow at the Kremlin.The Order of...