Legal Victories

Arkhangelsk Regional Court Defends Freedom of Religion

Arkhangelsk Region

On June 3, 2016, the Arkhangelsk Regional Court rejected the prosecutor's request to recognize the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses "Tsentralnaya, Arkhangelsk" as extremist. The prosecutor's lawsuit, among other things, was based on an episode with the discovery in the car of one of the believers' publications included in the list of extremist materials. At the same time, the believer from the very beginning claimed that the prohibited materials had been planted on him. During the trial, an examination was carried out, which showed the absence of his fingerprints on the packaging and the publications contained therein.