Rather interestingly if we lose this case we shall have the same legal status as ISIS.
Reading the Bible together or talking to others about their faith could lead to prosecutions, they added. Properties dedicated to worship and almost 400 legal entities could also be dissolved, they said.
Vasiliy Kalin, a representative for the Russian group, said: “The profound desire of each of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia is just to be able to worship our God peacefully. For over 100 years, the authorities in Russia have trampled on the guarantees of their own laws, which grant us this right.
“I was just a boy when Stalin exiled my family to Siberia merely because we were Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is sad and reprehensible that my children and grandchildren should be facing a similar fate. Never did I expect that we would again face the threat of religious persecution in modern Russia.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses first legally registered as a religious group in Russia in 1991 and was registered again in 1999.
They have been repeatedly prosecuted in Russia but for the past decade, they have been targeted by the tightening of restrictions on their religious freedoms.
Several warnings were issued to the religious groups’ administrative centre, which is located 40km north of St Petersbourg in the village of Solnechnoye, accusing it of being unlawful.
In 2006, Russia changed its legal definition of “extremism”, removing the element of violence or hatred but stating the “incitement of….religious discord” as the criteria. This means Jehovah’s Witnesses have the same legal status as Isis.
Two year ago, the government banned their international website because it deemed it “extremist” and a year later it prevented Bibles published by the religious group to enter Russia.
In 2010, the European Court of Human Rights found a ruling by a Russian court to ban the organisation "unlawful".
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russian-government-jehovahs-witnesses-extremist-group-lawsuit-supreme-court-a7634671.html
Originally posted by robbie carrobieHas Russia called the Jehovah's Witnesses "a terrorist group"?
Rather interestingly if we lose this case we shall have the same legal status as ISIS.
Reading the Bible together or talking to others about their faith could lead to prosecutions, they added. Properties dedicated to worship and almost 400 legal entities could also be dissolved, they said.
Vasiliy Kalin, a representative for the Russian group, ...[text shortened]... europe/russian-government-jehovahs-witnesses-extremist-group-lawsuit-supreme-court-a7634671.html
Originally posted by FMFI don't know. The charge seems to be 'an extremist group.'
Has Russia called the Jehovah's Witnesses "a terrorist group"?
Maybe there is a clue in the text that was cited,
Russia changed its legal definition of “extremism”, removing the element of violence or hatred but stating the “incitement of….religious discord” as the criteria. This means Jehovah’s Witnesses have the same legal status as Isis.
Two year ago, the government banned their international website because it deemed it “extremist”
Now I could only be clutching a straws here but it seems that the Russian government think that Jehovah's Witnesses are extremist, Its only a vague hunch though so I wouldn't take it too literally.
Originally posted by FMFThe thread title was a direct quotation from an article, This has already been explained to you. If you have any qualms with the article i suggest you take it up with the publishers. This again has already been explained to you and yet you seem intent on regurgitating the same 'stuff', again and again. Don't you find it tedious? perhaps you are unaware or forgetful or simply a bit dithery?
And yet that's not the charge you used for the thread title.
Originally posted by robbie carrobieYou seem to be steadfastly refusing to discuss or debate what might be the way for non-JWs to react to Russia's behaviour. So it remains to be seen exactly what it is you want to achieve with this discussion/debate. I wonder whether the strange appearance of the word "terrorist" in your thread title gives a clue about your real purpose.
The thread title was a direct quotation from an article, This has already been explained to you. If you have any qualms with the article i suggest you take it up with the publishers. This again has already been explained to you and yet you seem intent on regurgitating the same 'stuff', again and again. Don't you find it tedious? perhaps you are unaware or forgetful or simply a bit dithery?
Originally posted by robbie carrobieDo you have any qualms about the article's use of the words "terrorist group" to describe your organisation?
The thread title was a direct quotation from an article [...] If you have any qualms with the article i suggest you take it up with the publishers.
Originally posted by FMFYou seem to have the habit, in the most predictable manner imaginable of reducing debate to a question of behavior. Have you noticed it?
You seem to be steadfastly refusing to discuss or debate what might be the way for non-JWs to react to Russia's behaviour. So it remains to be seen exactly what it is you want to achieve with this discussion/debate. I wonder whether the strange appearance of the word "terrorist" in your thread title gives a clue about your real purpose.
Originally posted by FMFActually I think they have got the wrong end of the stick. I have already explained (sigh, how tedious it is to have to repeat oneself again and again) that they probably equate extremist with terrorist. I have no qualms about it. People make mistakes, its inevitable.
Do you have any qualms about the article's use of the words "terrorist group" to describe your organisation?
Originally posted by robbie carrobieYour decisions about content and what issues you want to avoid discussing are a function of your behaviour. Do you hope that non-JWs will do something to help or support the JWs in Russia?
You seem to have the habit, in the most predictable manner imaginable of reducing debate to a question of behavior. Have you noticed it?
Originally posted by robbie carrobieDid you make a mistake by using your thread title to suggest that Russia had deemed your organization to be "a terrorist group"?
Actually I think they have got the wrong end of the stick. I have already explained (sigh, how tedious it is to have to repeat oneself again and again) that they probably equate extremist with terrorist. I have no qualms about it. People make mistakes, its inevitable.
Originally posted by FMFActually the thread is about Russian government and Jehovah's Witnesses facing a ban. Your proclivity for reducing the debate to behavior is simply a reflection of the vacuous content of your posts. Sorry to be so blunt but it is what it is.
Your decisions about content and what issues you want to avoid discussing are a function of your behaviour. Do you hope that non-JWs will do something to help or support the JWs in Russia?
It seems that non Jehovah's Witnesses are pretty supportive from what i can gauge. But I don't expect them to do anything on our behalf.
Originally posted by FMFAlas its possible, I am human too. I know is some quarters I am considered semi-divine, but its not true, a mere mortal through and through.
Did you make a mistake by using your thread title to suggest that Russia had deemed your organization to be "a terrorist group"?