Russia’s Supreme Court declared Jehovah’s Witnesses an extremist organisation, banning the group from operating on Russian territory and putting its more than 170,000 Russian worshippers in the same category as Islamic State militants.
Viktor Zhenkov, a lawyer for the denomination, said Jehovah’s Witnesses would appeal the ruling.
Founded in the United States in the 19th century, Jehovah’s Witnesses has its worldwide headquarters in the United States and has quite a number of members in Kenya.
During six days of hearings over two weeks, lawyers and witnesses for the religious group repeatedly dismissed the extremist allegation as absurd, arguing that reading the Bible and promoting its non-violent message could in no way be construed as extremist.
Human Rights Watch, in a statement, condemned the court ruling as “a serious breach of Russia’s obligations to respect and protect religious freedom.”
Rachel Denber, the human rights group’s deputy director for Europe and Central Asia, said the decision delivered “a terrible blow to freedom of religion and association in Russia.”
