Russia Bans Jehovah's Witnesses

(Moscow, Russia) In an appeal of a lower court decision, the Russian Supreme Court has ruled that Jehovah's Witnesses are extremists. Part of the reason is that Jehovah's Witnesses allegedly violate the rights of atheists by their methods of intrusive preaching.

Russian Supreme Court's judicial chamber for civil cases upheld a decision to ban a southern Russian branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

The Supreme Court rejected an appeal against a previous court ruling of the Rostov regional court issued on September 11, 2009, which declares the Jehovah's Witnesses' branch in the southern Russian city of Taganrog an extremist organization and bans its activities.

Some 34 books, issued and handed out by the organization, were put on the national list of extremist literature.

The ruling "could set a precedent not only for Jehovah's Witnesses, but for believers of all confessions," the group said in a statement, issued on its website ahead of the hearing. "It would be the first time internationally recognized Christian literature was censored in Russia."

A plot of land, an office building and other property belonging to the group were also seized.

About 300,000 Jehovah's Witnesses live in Russia. It's not clear what happens to Jehovah's Witnesses caught practicing their faith.