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Discussion » Questions » Religion and Spirituality » Did you know that the appeal for Jehovah's Witnesses to exist in Russia is supposed to be heard today?

Did you know that the appeal for Jehovah's Witnesses to exist in Russia is supposed to be heard today?

Rather they must continue in prayer and endurance, or there is a vindication for Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia accused of extremism will be seen today.

Some articles in relation to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia:
https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=&sl=ru&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fjw-russia.org

A hearing in the Supreme Court of Russia on the appeal of Jehovah's Witnesses

On July 17, 2017, at 11:00 am, a panel of three Supreme Court judges begins consideration of an appeal against the decision of the same court to liquidate all 396 organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.There is a report from the courtroom .

Read more »July 17, 2017

Negative Impact of Russia's Supreme Court Ruling on Jehovah's Witnesses (four-minute video)

A 4-minute English version of the video about a growing wave of violence, pogroms, arson, vandalism, confiscation of personal belongings, insulting religious feelings of believers in the most vile form.

Read more »July 11, 2017

Negative Impact of Russia's Supreme Court Ruling on Jehovah's Witnesses (two-minute video)

A 2-minute English version of the video about a growing wave of violence, pogroms, arson, vandalism, confiscation of personal belongings, insulting religious feelings of believers in the most vile form.

Read more »July 11, 2017


  Etcetera...

Posted - July 17, 2017

Responses


  • 2657
    https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/russia/experts-on-threat-of-ban-jehovahs-witnesses/

    APRIL 3, 2017
    RUSSIA

    On Video: Experts React to Threat of Ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia

    On April 5, 2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation is expected to rule on whether to liquidate and ban the activity of all legal entities used by Jehovah’s Witnesses throughout Russia. A ruling against the Witnesses would criminalize their worship. Several human rights experts from Russia and abroad comment on the unjust actions of Russian authorities and how a ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses would affect not only the Witnesses but also Russia’s international reputation and religious freedom for its citizens.

    • Heiner Bielefeldt“If Jehovah’s Witnesses are extremist, I think we all are.”

      Former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief

       

      Richard Clayton, QC: “It’s a shocking example of a bad law being used for a worse purpose.”

      International Human Rights Lawyer and UK Representative on the Venice Commission

       

      Dr. Massimo Introvigne“The only relationship between Jehovah’s Witnesses and violence is that they have been victims of violence.”

      Sociologist and Former Representative of the OSCE on Combating Racism, Xenophobia, Discrimination

    •  

      Annika Hvithamar‘If Jehovah’s Witnesses are extremist, then most versions of Christianity could be accused of the same thing.’

      Associate Professor/Head of Studies, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen

    •  

      Lyudmila Alekseyeva“Not just a mistake—I think it is a crime.”

      Chairwoman of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Member of the Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights

    •  

      Anatoly Vasilyevich Pchelintsev: “Let’s speak out for Jehovah’s Witnesses!”

      Editor in Chief of the Journal Religion and Law

    •  

      Vladimir Vasilyevich Ryakhovskiy: “It has always started with Jehovah’s Witnesses and then spread to everyone else.”

      Member of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights

    •  

      Maksim Shevchenko: “This claim violates fundamental principles of freedom of conscience.”

      President of the Center for Strategic Study of Religions and Politics of the Modern World

    •  

      Dr. Hubert Seiwert‘All accusations against Jehovahˊs Witnesses presented at the many court hearings were unfounded.’

      Professor at the Institute of Religious Studies at the University of Leipzig

    •  

      Mercedes Murillo Muñoz“The State has great confidence in this denomination.”

      Professor of Ecclesiastical Law at the University of King Juan Carlos (Spain)

    •  

      Consuelo Madrigal“I do not consider [Jehovah’s Witnesses] to be dangerous at all.”

      Lawyer and Former Attorney General of Spain



    Automated updates to the trial in session. Started at 11:00 AM in Russia. Current time: Monday 7-17-2017 4:27 AM in Texas, Monday 7-17-2017 12:27 PM in Russia

    https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=ru&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://jw-russia.org/pages/17071316-192.html&usg=ALkJrhicKyfQoGIKMEiQQ7PL2vZ6PF4fLw
    This post was edited by texasescimo at July 30, 2017 11:54 PM MDT
      July 17, 2017 3:22 AM MDT
    1

  • texasescimo, not trying to make light of this subject but Russia, with the exception of the Russian Orthodox Church, has always had a dim and somewhat belligerent view of religion in general. Those views began when Communism became the ruling government. So it's not surprising that the courts have decided to rule on this. If the Jehovah Witnesses religion is banned, I expect the other non-Russian Orthodox religions to be banned as well at some point in time. Though I may not accept some of the beliefs and practices of some of the religions in this country, I'm thankful that we still have freedom of religion.
      July 17, 2017 8:25 AM MDT
    2

  • 2657

    Yes, it may have an affect on other religions as well.
    Thanks for your answer. 

     They have been through similar persecution their before with most being sent to Siberia. 

    Here's more from a recent article about the not to distant past:

    *** kr chap. 15 pp. 158-159 pars. 7-8 Fighting for Freedom to Worship ***
    Russia. Jehovah’s Witnesses spent decades under Communist ban but were finally registered in 1991. After the breakup of the former Soviet Union, we were granted legal recognition in the Russian Federation in 1992. Before long, however, some opposers—particularly those associated with the Russian Orthodox Church—were unnerved by the rapid growth in our numbers. Opposers filed a series of five criminal complaints against Jehovah’s Witnesses between 1995 and 1998. Each time, the prosecutor found no evidence of wrongdoing. The determined opposers then filed a civil complaint in 1998. The Witnesses prevailed at first, but the opposers rejected the verdict and the Witnesses lost on the appeal in May 2001. A retrial began in October of that year, leading to a decision in 2004 to liquidate the registered legal entity that the Witnesses use in Moscow and ban its activities.
    8 A wave of persecution followed. (Read 2 Timothy 3:12.) Witnesses faced harassment and assault. Religious literature was confiscated; renting or building houses of worship was severely restricted. Imagine how our brothers and sisters felt as they faced those hardships! The Witnesses had applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2001, and they submitted additional information to the Court in 2004. In 2010, the ECHR reached its decision. The Court saw clearly that religious intolerance was behind Russia’s ban on the Witnesses and ruled that there was no reason to uphold the decisions of the lower courts, since there had been no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of any Witnesses. The Court further noted that the ban was designed to strip the Witnesses of their legal rights. The Court’s decision upheld the Witnesses’ right of freedom of religion. Although various Russian authorities have failed to comply with the ECHR ruling, God’s people in that land have drawn great courage from such victories.




    The appeal was denied:
    https://www.newsweek.com/jehovahs-witnesses-russia-ban-appeal-637816

      July 17, 2017 1:12 PM MDT
    1

  • 2657
    I don't really expect many to read the whole court transcript but the false witnesses and forced witnesses reminds me of what Jesus and the first century Christians went through. At least this time they were allowed to play the videos of authorities planting banned material at the Kingdom Halls. Unfortunately, the Kangaroo Court already had it's mind made up well in advance of the appeals hearing.

    https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=ru&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://jw-russia.org/pages/17071316-192.html&usg=ALkJrhicKyfQoGIKMEiQQ7PL2vZ6PF4fLw

    17:20 Representative Novakov selectively draws the attention of the court to the case materials in the 38th and 39th volumes of the case. The documents testify to false accusations of "extremism" against Jehovah's Witnesses. For example, there are a number of documents in the case in which people who "witnessed" against believers report that they gave their testimony against believers under the pressure of law enforcement officers, without warning of responsibility for deliberately false denunciation.


    (Acts 4:18-20) With that they called them and ordered them not to say anything at all or to teach on the basis of the name of Jesus. 19 But in reply Peter and John said to them: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves. 20 But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.”
    (Acts 5:28, 29) and said: “We strictly ordered you not to keep teaching on the basis of this name, and yet look! you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.” 29 In answer Peter and the other apostles said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.
    (Acts 5:42) And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.
    (Matthew 26:59, 60) Now the chief priests and the entire Sanʹhe·drin were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death. 60 But they found none, although many false witnesses came forward. Later two came forward

      July 17, 2017 3:29 PM MDT
    1

  • 13395
    They been also harassing the Pastafarians:

    https://www.google.ca/amp/jalopnik.com/russian-pastafarian-must-wear-pasta-strainer-on-his-hea-1754355861/amp 
      July 17, 2017 8:58 AM MDT
    1

  • 2657
    That's just silly on all sides.
      July 17, 2017 1:14 PM MDT
    1

  • 22891
    no, this is the first ive heard of it
      July 17, 2017 3:55 PM MDT
    2

  • 2657
    They denied the appeal. JW's are banned as extremist in Russia. The next appeal will likely be to the European Court of Human Rights. Unfortunately, Russia doesn't really have any respect for them either.

    EDIT: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40635267
    The Jehovah's Witnesses are expected to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, but Russia may well ignore any verdict in their favour. This post was edited by texasescimo at July 30, 2017 11:55 PM MDT
      July 17, 2017 7:07 PM MDT
    1

  • 46117
    This is what the current American regime is patterning itself after.   Thanks, texas, this is good stuff I'm reading on here from you.
      July 17, 2017 8:31 PM MDT
    1

  • 2657
    I hope not but if not, I expect it to happen at some time by someone. As far as I know, there hasn't been whole scale anti mob action against any one religion in America sense the 1940's.
      July 18, 2017 1:49 PM MDT
    2

  • 46117
    Religious intolerance is intolerable to me. 
      July 18, 2017 1:51 PM MDT
    0

  • 1326
    Seems as though now they are starting to attack the gay communities. In chechyna it's almost a movement. The domino effect has started. I doubt if most religions will take the abuse the witnesses are enduring sitting down. Many religions feel it a divine right to rebel against the opressive governments. This post was edited by Autumnleaves at July 31, 2017 12:11 AM MDT
      July 31, 2017 12:06 AM MDT
    0

  • As a Soviet lady, I approve of banning this cult from all Soviet nations. Communism is atheistic, so no religions should be allowed in any of the Soviet Republics. Religions have a harmful effect upon all nations. Christianity prevented any advancement during the Dark Ages. Then, it had Crusades, Inquisitions, witch hunts, burning heretics, etc. Galileo was chastised for advancing astronomy. Giardano Bruno was burned. It takes much money from gullible people and makes their  lives miserable in its scam. People are made to feel guilt and fear and to consider the body and its functions as demonic. Churches have privileges and try to make laws in their favor. They are not taxed. Some pastors are multi-millionaires. Reverend Joel Olsteen has a fortune of $40,000,000. Just think what could be done with money collected by taxing him at the usual rate for millionaires. 
      August 3, 2017 1:37 PM MDT
    1