Religious Freedom in Russia

8 December 2009
RUSSIA: 34 JEHOVAH'S WITNESS PUBLICATIONS AND ONE CONGREGATION BANNED
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1385
Russia's Supreme Court has today (8 December) upheld a Rostov-on-Don
Regional Court ruling finding 34 Jehovah's Witness publications
"extremist", ensuring that their distribution will be banned nationwide.
The Supreme Court also upheld, as part of the ruling, the liquidation of
the Taganrog Jehovah's Witness congregation as extremist. The
congregation's property will now be confiscated, and it will be banned from
meeting as a community. Asked why the Supreme Court upheld the lower court
decision, the secretary for the Supreme Court's Civil Cases Division, who
would not give her name, told Forum 18 News Service: "The Jehovah's
Witnesses are extremist." Asked if they have for example killed anyone, she
responded: "To a certain extent, yes." The court ruling opens the way for
the distribution of all Jehovah's Witness literature in Russia to be banned
in future. Grigory Martynov of the Jehovah's Witnesses expressed
disappointment, telling Forum 18 that "the decision was taken very quickly
and they gave no explanation as to why they upheld the Rostov decision." He
also stated that they will consider whether to take their case to the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg.

This may seem innocuous or even good, however the force behind it is evil. Religious freedom is at stake. They will attack at the weakest point or where they think people will not care but move steadily on.