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banned organization

Russia's FSB Raids Jehovah’s Witness Office in Occupied Mariupol

Russia's Federal Security Service said more than 20,000 copies of “extremist literature” were confiscated during the operation.

Russia Sentences 4 Jehovah’s Witnesses to Lengthy Prison Terms

A Russian court has sentenced four members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to prison terms ranging up to seven years, the religious organization ...

Human Rights Ruling

Europe’s Top Rights Court Rules Against Russia’s Jehovah’s Witnesses Ban

The ruling from the ECHR came as Russian lawmakers passed legislation ending its jurisdiction.

outlawed religion

Russia Jails 4 Jehovah's Witnesses for 6 Years

The four adherents organized meetings, collected donations and distributed religious literature, investigators said.

Russia Releases First Jehovah’s Witness Imprisoned for ‘Extremism’

Danish national Dennis Christensen has been in Russian jail since 2017.

Siberian Jehovah’s Witness Jailed Despite Prosecution Ban

Russia outlawed the religious group as an "extremist" organization in 2017.

'interrupted chain'

Russia Acquits First Jehovah’s Witness After Top Court Bans Prosecuting Prayers

The Supreme Court recently ruled that joint prayers among members of banned religious groups “do not contain elements of extremism.”

potential turning point

Russia’s Top Court Bans Prosecuting Jehovah’s Witnesses for Group Prayer

Russia outlawed the Jehovah's Witnesses as “extremist” in 2017 and has since jailed hundreds of worshippers.

growing crackdown

Russia Sentences Jehovah's Witnesses to Lengthy Prison Terms

The latest verdicts are tied for the longest jail sentence handed to a Jehovah’s Witness.

Russia Sentences 4 Jehovah’s Witnesses to Long Jail Terms

39 worshippers have now been jailed since the Supreme Court declared the Christian denomination extremist in 2017.

Russian Jehovah’s Witness Jailed for ‘Bible Talk’

Vasily Meleshko, 60, was sentenced to 3 years in a prison colony for participating in the activities of a banned organization.

BANNED RELIGION

Russia Sentences 3 Jehovah's Witnesses to 6 Years in Prison

The Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia organization called the extremism sentences “groundless.”

FORBIDDEN WORSHIP

Russia Hands Out Longest Jail Terms Yet to Jehovah’s Witnesses

Two members of the religious denomination labeled “extremist” in 2017 have been sentenced to seven and eight years.

WEEKEND PROFILE

A Russian Jehovah’s Witness Vows to Keep Worshipping Despite Crackdown

“We have never interfered in government affairs, either as revolutionaries or as rebels.”

Religious Persecution

Russia Imprisons 6 Jehovah’s Witnesses for ‘Extremism’

The religious group's activities have been banned in Russia since 2017.

religious crackdown

Russian Court in Crimea Jails Jehovah’s Witness for 6.5 Years

The religious group called the sentence the “harshest” yet against its members in Russian-annexed Crimea.

First Woman Jehovah’s Witness Sentenced to Prison in Russia

Valentina Baranovskaya, 69, has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of participation in a banned organization.

Russian Jehovah's Witness Handed Longest 'Extremism' Prison Sentence

Alexander Ivshin, 63, was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for activities including hosting Bible discussions via video link.

Moscow Security Forces Raid Jehovah’s Witnesses

Investigators said the worshippers continued to hold “secret meetings and study religious literature” despite the group being banned.

Russia Sentences Siberian Jehovah’s Witness Leader to 6 Years

Authorities accused 66-year-old Yury Savelyev of “supervising readings and discussions of extremist literature.”

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