Categories: World

Russia Lists Sins of Jehovah’s Witnesses

TASS/

 

By prohibiting its members from taking a blood transfusion, the Jehovah’s Witnesses as a group violates the law on resistance to extremism,  the spokeswoman for Russia’s Justice Ministry told the Supreme Court on Thursday.

It was on the second day of the hearing, which began on Wednesday.

“Checks have found that the organisation is in breach of the law on resistance to extremism. In particular, the organisation’s religious literature forbids blood transfusion for its members in defiance of the doctors’ recommendation,” the spokeswoman said, providing documentary evidence about one such case.

Also, the Justice Ministry’s official said Jehovah’s Witnesses insist on their own exclusiveness, which also contradicts the law on resistance to extremist activity.

“The religious organization Jehovah’s Witnesses has been repeatedly warned by courts of law, but it has taken no required measures to eliminate the violations,” the Justice Ministry said.

The Justice Ministry believes that Jehovah’s Witnesses must be outlawed and the organization’s properties, including those of the 395 regional chapters, confiscated.

“In view of the threat posed by the organisation Jehovah’s Witnesses,  the Justice Ministry asks for declaring it extremist and banning its activity,” the Justice Ministry’s official said.

In its lawsuit, the Justice Ministry mentions a variety of violations, including those of the federal law on resistance to extremist activities.

Jehovah’s Witnesses’ press-service has told TASS the organisation “finds this affair very worrisome, because the decision may affect 175,000 believers.” Jehovah’s Witnesses spokesman Ivan Bilenko said the organisation was prepared to press for its rights in any courts.

A court in Moscow on October 12, 2016, warned the Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses over extremist activities. If the organisation in question fails to eliminate the exposed violations within the established deadlines, or if new evidence of its extremist activities surfaces, it is to be closed down.

The Moscow City Court on January 16 upheld the warning over extremist activities.

On Wednesday, when the Russian Supreme Court began hearing the Justice Ministry request for the outlaw of the movement,  the movement filed a counterclaim demanding the court proclaim the ministry’s actions as political repression.

The court, however, rejected the request.

The Supreme Court decided that the counterclaim could not be reviewed during the session, as it was filed in an inappropriate court.

“The court ruled to reject the counterclaim taking into account the fact that the party violated the jurisdiction rules,” the judge announced.

The  Court also refused to let 395 local chapters of Jehovah’s Witnesses participate in the hearings.

Jehovah’s Witnesses is an international religious organisation that maintains offbeat views on the essence of the Christian faith and provides special interpretations of many commonly accepted notions. In Russia, it had 21 local organisations but three of them were shut down for extremism.

*Reported by TASS

0
Dipo

Dipo Kehinde is an accomplished Nigerian journalist, artist, and designer with over 34 years experience. More info on: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dipo-kehinde-8aa98926

Recent Posts

Are The Grammys Relevant Outside the United States?

Building Credibility For nearly eight decades, the Grammy Awards have stood as the pinnacle of…

23 hours ago

Disputed 5.3bn Shares: Court Adjourns Barbican/FBN Holdings Suit as Ecobank’s Recusal Motion Remains Pending

Justice Ayokunle Faji has adjourned further proceedings in the suit filed by Barbican Capital Limited…

3 days ago

Los Angeles Protects Undocumented Immigrants from Trump’s Deportation Plans with Sanctuary Ordinance

Segun Atanda/ The Los Angeles City Council has approved a sweeping "sanctuary city" ordinance designed…

3 days ago

Trump Could Face Prison After Second Term, Prosecutors Say

Segun Atanda/ New York prosecutors have opposed dismissing President-elect Donald Trump’s conviction for falsifying business…

3 days ago

MC Oluomo Flouts Court Order, Assumes Office as NURTW President

Femi Ashekun/ In a bold and controversial move, Musiliu ‘MC Oluomo’ Akinsanya, has defied a…

3 days ago

Tinubu Sacks Nnamdi Azikiwe University VC, Registrar … Dissolves Council

Matilda Omonaiye/ President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dissolved the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University,…

3 days ago