BAN ON JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES : RUSSIA FAILS TO PRESENT EVIDENCE OF EXTREMISM IN COURT

MOSCOW, Russia – The odds are currently against the Russian government in its quest to prove beyond reasonable doubts that Jehovah’s Witnesses are extremist and ban their activities in Russia.

At the resumed hearing today, the Justice Ministry could not tender any document or literature in court to support their claim that the Witness are not only extremists, but that they are distributing extremist literature.

“The third day of the hearing before the Russian Supreme Court has concluded, and the Court has declared a recess until Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.

“During today’s proceedings, the Court heard the testimony of four of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who presented key arguments against the Ministry of Justice’s claim to liquidate the Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses and ban their activities”, the Witnesses said in a statement.

The presiding judge then directed multiple questions toward the Ministry of Justice, asking them to produce evidence regarding their accusations that Jehovah’s Witnesses are extremists and distribute extremist literature.

“The Ministry of Justice was unable to do so”, the statement added, stressing that Vasiliy Kalin, a member of the presiding committee for the Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia, stated while addressing the Court: “I want to remind the Ministry of Justice that your request to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses would hurt the very people who wish you a peaceful, happy life,” he said.