Jehovah's Witnesses framed in Crimea

[Guest Kurt]

Framed Jehovah's Witnesses of Saransk punished

SARANSK JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ORGANIZATION FINED 100,000 RUBLES FOR POSSESSION OF EXTREMIST MATERIALS
Website of Lenin District Court, Saransk, 30 June 2016
 
The Lenin district court of the city of Saransk, by a decision of 24 June 2016, found the local Saransk religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses guilty of committing an administrative violation of law provided for by article 20.29 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of the Russian federation (possession for purposes of mass distribution of extremist materials included in the published Federal List of Extremist Materials) and ordered an administrative penalty in the form of a fine in the sum of 100,000 rubles, with confiscation of the extremist materials.
 
According to the court's ruling, on 31 March 2016 at 20.30, in the course of conducting operational search activities in the premises of the local Saransk religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, located on Titov Street of Saransk, literature stored there was discovered and seized: "How to develop close relations with God," "For what can people hope?" and "Good news about God," which by decision of the Lenin district court of the city of Vladimir of 23 October 2013 and by the appellate decision of the judicial college for civil cases of the Kurgan provincial court of 5 August 2014 was ruled to be prohibited for use and included by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian federation in the Federal List of Extremist Materials.
 
Access to the premises of the aforesaid organization and to literature stored there, including materials included in the published Federal List of Extremist Materials, was not restricted, which permitted every visitor to the premises to become familiar with forbidden literature.
 
In accordance with this incident, on 6 June 2016 an official of Department No. 3 of the Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Saransk drew up a report concerning the administrative violation of law, in accordance with article 20.29 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of the Russian federation, against the religious organization.
 
During consideration of the case of an administrative violation of law, the chairman of the Saransk local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, A.S. Kolesnikov, did not admit the guilt of the organization he heads of committing an administrative violation of law, appealing to the fact that the seized literature had been planted in the premises by citizens who do not profess the Jehovah's Witnesses' religion, who on that day arrived for the worship service.
 
After examining the materials that were presented, hearing the parties, and questioning witnesses, the court came to the conclusion regarding the guilt of the religious organization in the commission of an administrative violation of law.
 
While assessing an administrative penalty, the court took into account the nature and consequences of the administrative violation of law that was committed and the degree of guilt of the legal entity that was called to administrative accountability and it assessed an administrative fine of the minimum amount, having concluded that a fine in the sum of 100,000 rubles would be able to assure the achievement of the purpose of the administrative penalty.
 The ruling has not taken legal effect.
-----------------------------
Jehovah's Witnesses framed in Crimea

IN CRIMEA, FORBIDDEN MATERIALS AGAIN PLANTED ON JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND WORSHIP INTERRUPTED
Portal-credo.ru, 4 July 2016
 
Personnel of law enforcement agencies numbering 10 persons appeared on 2 July at a worship service of Jehovah's Witnesses in Alushta (Crimea), where about 100 believers were in attendance. Mikhail Didun, an aide of the city prosecutor, approached the platform and interrupted the service, announcing this on the microphone, and after this he deliberately, in view of all believers, "seized" from a stranger, who had arrived for the service, a black package. In the package several brochures were seen, which had allegedly been entered into the List of Extremist Materials of the Russian Ministry of Justice.
 
Believers declared emphatically to law enforcement agents their protests against such illegal actions. This was not the first time that Crimean law enforcement agents have used such a tactic which, on one hand, is evidence of the absence of genuine violations on the part of believers, and on the other of the intense desire to represent the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses as illegal by any means, the press service of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia notes.
 
The disruption of the worship service in and of itself, the more so in the use of government office, is an extraordinary incident and constitutes a crime, provided for by article 248  of the Russian Criminal Code.
------------------

Human rights advocate criticizes persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES CONGREGATION IN ABAKAN FINED 150,000 RUBLES
SOVA Center for News and Analysis, 21 June 2016
 
An Abakan city court found the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses guilty of distributing extremist literature.
 
On 16 June 2016 the Abakan city court of the republic of Khakassia fined the local South Abakan religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses 150,000 rubles, after ruling it guilty of mass distribution of extremist materials (article 20.29 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law). The court's decision still has not taken legal effect and it may be appealed.
 
It has been reported that publications banned in 2009-2010 and included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials—brochures "What does the Bible really teach?", "Humanity in search of God," and "Knowledge that leads to eternal life"—were confiscated from Jehovah's Witnesses.
 
We consider the ban of literature of the Jehovah's Witnesses as extremist and prosecution of believers for its distribution to be illegal. Such actions by the authorities we regard as religious discrimination. 
 
Sources:

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES PUNISHED FOR EXTREMIST LITERATURE IN KHAKASSIA
19rusinfo, 21 June 2016
 
In Khakassia, a religious organization was found guilty of distributing extremist materials. On 16 June an Abakan city court issued such a ruling with respect to the South Abakan local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.
 
Published literature was confiscated for linguistic expert analysis and found to be extremist. In addition, the printed production is included in the federal list of prohibited publications.
 
The South Abakan Jehovah's Witnesses were given a punishment of a fine in the sum of 150,000 rubles. But as the press service of the Abakan city court explained to a correspondent of the news agency Khakassia, the decision rendered is not final. The Jehovists retain the right of appeal. 
 

------------------
 
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES TO PAY 150,000 RUBLES FOR EXTREMIST LITERATURE IN KHAKASSIA
Khakasia (Daily Republican Edition), 22 June 2016
 
In the opinion of the court, brochures that devotees of the teaching carried around apartments and handed out on the streets inflame religious hatred.
 
Yesterday an Abakan city court fined the local South Abakan religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses a hefty sum. The Jehovists must pay 150,000 rubles for their handouts. As the capital court reported, the brochures "What does the Bible teach?", "Humanity in search for God" and "Knowledge that leads to eternity" were ruled extremist back in 2009 by the Rostov provincial court. The court was guided by information of a linguistic expert analysis. Distribution of such materials on the territory of Russia is strictly forbidden.
 
"The printed production is included in the federal list of forbidden publications," the press service of the Abakan city court explained. "The religious organization was fined in accordance with article 20.29 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of the RF (Production and distribution of extremist materials)".