For Immediate Release
February 7, 2001
(Russian)

'Ban Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia' — Declares Prosecutor

MOSCOW, RUSSIA—Prosecutor, Tatyana Kondratyeva, today revealed the true motive behind the trial against Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow, when she dramatically called for a ban against them throughout the whole of Russia.

Jehovah's Witnesses are currently registered under the 1997 law of Religious Freedom in over 360 Russian communities. Also, on April 29, 1999, the Russian Ministry of Justice re-registered the Administrative Center for Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, thus recognizing it as a lawful religious organization. Yet, despite this, the Prosecutor declared that she wants all regions of Russia to outlaw them from carrying out a range of activities, including distributing religious literature, holding meetings to discuss the Bible, public preaching, and renting or purchasing property.

Vasilii Kalin, Chairman for Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, who was present at today's hearing, said: "The Prosecutor's words are starkly similar in tone and content to the Stalin-era, when my family, along with more than 9,000 others, were exiled to Siberia exactly 50 years ago, for publicly talking about the Bible."

Clearly the intent of the Prosecutor is that all regions of Russia will follow a potentially dangerous precedent in Moscow, and revoke the registration of Jehovah's Witnesses, thus denying Russian citizens their rights under the Constitution.

European observers are alarmed at the wider implications for religious freedom in Russia. Already, members of the Parliamentary Assembly prepared a motion, dated April 1999, expressing "concern for other religions who also expect to be banned if Jehovah's Witnesses lose this case." They consider that the 1997 Russian law on Religious Freedom contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights, which Russia committed itself to upon accession to the Council of Europe.

Contacts in Russia:
Jaroslav Sivulskii, Mobile Telephone: + (7) 8 902 682 8197
English-speaking: Paul Gillies, Mobile Telephone: + 44 7775 833880
English/Russian-speaking: Albert Polanski, Mobile Telephone: + (7) 8 902 680 1780