Russian “extremist” text prosecutions increase
Forum 18 reports that from September to December 2015 at least 35 individuals and three religious organisations exercising freedom of religion or belief were prosecuted in Russia under Administrative Code Article 20.29 (“Production or mass distribution of extremist materials”). Courts imposed fines in 34 of these cases, and one Jehovah’s Witness was sentenced to a…
Forum 18 reports that from September to December 2015 at least 35 individuals and three religious organisations exercising freedom of religion or belief were prosecuted in Russia under Administrative Code Article 20.29 (“Production or mass distribution of extremist materials”).
Courts imposed fines in 34 of these cases, and one Jehovah’s Witness was sentenced to a 10 day jail term later reduced to six days. Two individuals and one Jehovah’s Witness community were acquitted. This is an increase on the September to December 2014 figure of 18 such prosecutions.
Of the 38 September to December 2015 prosecutions, 19 involved Islamic texts or videos, 17 Jehovah’s Witness texts, and two items produced by the Chinese spiritual movement Falun Gong. Court verdicts indicate that prosecutions of Jehovah’s Witnesses under Article 20.29 increased in the last part of 2015.
Their communities in Stariy Oskol and Belgorod city were liquidated in February 2016, and an appeal challenging the liquidation of the Tyumen community is due in Russia’s Supreme Court on 24 March.
Full report here