Human Rights

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe heard a report on the situation of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia

April 20, 2017 France

On April 5, 2017, in Strasbourg (France), at the 1283rd meeting of the Committee of Ministers (the body monitoring the implementation of ECHR decisions), the issue of the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia was raised in the light of the lawsuit filed by the Ministry of Justice with the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. A statement was made by the Delegation of the European Union.

The European Union called on the Russian authorities to ensure the peaceful enjoyment by Jehovah's Witnesses of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and the right to freedom of assembly and association without further interference, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The Russian authorities need to comply with international agreements, including the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as international human rights standards.

Strasbourg, 05/04/2017. Unique ID: 170407_38
1283rd meeting of the Committee of Ministers

Statement of the European Union on the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia

The March 15 filing by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation with the Supreme Court is the latest tough action taken against Jehovah's Witnesses and a further intensification of the violation of their rights and prosecution to which they are subjected in Russia, which contravenes international standards on freedom of religion or belief.

This decision may lead to the liquidation of the Administrative Center and all local representative offices of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and the confiscation of their property. In the meantime, the Ministry labeled the Administrative Center as "extremist" and imposed a ban on all legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses throughout the country. This is a very negative development that could lead to criminal proceedings against Jehovah's Witnesses simply for practicing their religion.

The European Union shares the concerns of the UN Human Rights Committee about a number of reports indicating that the Federal Law on Countering Extremist Activity is increasingly being used in the Russian Federation to restrict freedom of religion aimed, inter alia, at Jehovah's Witnesses.

The Russian authorities should ensure that Jehovah's Witnesses peacefully enjoy the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion and the right to freedom of assembly and association without further interference, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The Russian authorities must comply with international agreements, inter alia the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as international human rights standards.

The European Union continues to promote freedom of religion or belief as a right to be exercised by all and everywhere, based on the principles of equality, non-discrimination and universality. Under international human rights law, the exercise of freedom of religion or belief in community with others includes (but is not limited to): legal personality and non-interference in internal affairs, including the right to establish and maintain accessible places of worship or assembly, the freedom to choose and train leaders, and the right to engage in social, cultural, educational and charitable activities.