Siberian Jehovah’s Witness Jailed Despite Prosecution Ban

A Siberian court jailed a Jehovah’s Witness on Wednesday despite a top Russian court’s recent ban on prosecuting worshippers for joint prayers, the religious organization said. Anatoly Gorbunov, 64, was found guilty of extremism and...

RUSSIA: Three acquitted on “extremism” charges but jailings continue

An appeal court has overturned the suspended sentences handed to three Jehovah's Witnesses. "We hope that the Kamchatka example will turn out to have an effect on other judges, and they will take the liberty...

State Department sharply criticizes Russia over prison term for female Jehovah’s Witness

The State Department on Wednesday denounced Russia’s crackdown on Jehovah’s Witnesses in a blistering response to reports that a Russian court has sentenced a female Witness to six years in prison for practicing her faith....

Russia sentences female Jehovah’s Witness to six years in prison

A Russian court has sentenced a female member of Jehovah’s Witnesses to six years in prison, a term the group says is the longest a woman has received there since 2017. [caption id="attachment_6022" align="aligncenter" width="1360"]...

Russia jails more Jehovah’s Witnesses, prompting calls for ‘strong measures’

Despite a court ruling by Russian judges in October that seemed to endorse leniency for Jehovah’s Witnesses arrested after their faith was labeled “extremist,” a recent rash of sentences against members of the faith group...

Another Jehovah’s Witness Jailed a two-year In Russia

A court in southwestern Russia has handed a two-year prison term to a Jehovah's Witness amid an ongoing crackdown on the religious group, which has been banned in the country since 2017. The Pavlov district...

Russian government-sponsored persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses on rise again

After a period of freedom following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Jehovah's Witnesses are again facing intense, government-sponsored persecution in Russia. Since a 2017 Supreme Court classifying the Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center as an...

RUSSIA: Jailed, awaiting appeal, deported, post-prison restrictions – list

Of 52 people given jail sentences on "extremism" charges for exercising freedom of religion or belief, 20 are serving their sentences in prison, 12 awaiting appeal, 2 were deported after completing their jail term and...

Russia comments on US ‘religious freedom’ claims

Russia isn't cracking down on religious minorities, and claims to the contrary are part of a concerted smear campaign by the US, a senior Moscow diplomat has insisted after Washington added the country to a...

RUSSIA: “I would like to believe” acquittal “is first of many”

For the first time since the Supreme Court ban on Jehovah's Witnesses as "extremist" in 2017, a Vladivostok court yesterday (22 November) issued an acquittal. Dmitry Barmakin walked free after the Judge cited 28 October...