Ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia unlawful, ECHR rules

 

BELGIUM – The European Court, ECHR today issued a landmark judgment, nothing that it is unlawful for Russia to ban the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The ECHR consequently ordered Russia to discontinue all pending criminal proceedings against Jehovah’s Witnesses and to release all those in prison.

The ECHR also ordered Russia to either return all the confiscated properties of Jehovah’s Witnesses or pay adequate compensation to the peaceful religious group.

On the same day, the Court also issued a judgment against Lithuania for denying one of  the Jehovah’s Witnesses  an exemption for military service.