The Supreme Court approved Russia's first region-wide ban of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious group, deeming them "extremist," Interfax said.
The ruling, passed Wednesday, had been the group's final hope of stalling the ban in the Samara region, which first passed by a regional court in May, but was later appealed.
The Jehovah's Witnesses can still appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, but have not indicated whether they plan to do so.
The ban owes to "extremist" literature having been found at the regional branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses, the prosecutors were cited as saying.
Nearly 70 Jehovah's Witnesses publications are included among the Federal List of Extremist Materials in Russia.
Most were blacklisted on allegations of having fanned "religious hatred" by criticizing other branches of Christianity.
While this is the first region-wide ban on Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Moscow and the southern city of Taganrog have previously imposed bans against the group's city branches based on claims of extremism in 2004 and 2009, respectively.
The religious community was the target of an organized state crackdown in 2009 and 2010, when most of the bans were passed, rights activists said at the time.
Critics linked the campaign to the Russian Orthodox Church, which tends to take a dim view of new religious sects emerging in Russia.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
