February 12, 2002
Chronology of efforts by the Moscow Community of Jehovah's Witnesses to secure reregistration under the 1997 Law on Religious Associations
| October 20, 1999 |
Moscow Community of Jehovah's Witnesses (MCJW) submits first application for reregistration along with all required documents |
| November 17, 1999 |
First refusal of application, with complaint that important documents are missing |
| December 7, 1999 |
Application resubmitted, again with all required documents |
| January 6, 2000 |
Second refusal of application |
| May 29, 2000 |
Application resubmitted, again with all required documents; Justice Department affixes stamp to inventory list of documents, confirming receipt |
| June 28, 2000 |
Third refusal to consider application |
| October 16, 2000 |
Written inquiry to Justice Department requesting list of documents that are missing
MCJW files civil complaint with Presnya Intermunicipal Court of Moscow requesting that Justice Department be obliged to consider third application
Justice Department is to provide response by October 23.; court date set for November 22, 2000 |
| October 23, 2000 |
Justice Department states MCJW failed to turn over original charter and registration certificate from 1993, even though these were not required by law
Justice Department claims it is not obliged to specify which documents are missing with application |
| October 25, 2000 |
Fourth application filed, including original charter and registration certificate from 1993 |
| November 22, 2000 |
Presnya Court, on its motion, delays hearing to December 20, 2000 |
| November 24, 2000 |
First formal denial of reregistration; based on two incorrect wordings in documents (MCJW said it "adopted" rather than "ratified" its charter; "legal address" was used alongside the word "location") |
| December 12, 2000 |
Fifth and final application filed, using adjusted wording |
| December 20, 2000 |
Presnya Court, on its motion, delays hearing until February 6, 2001 |
| January 1, 2001 |
Deadline for reregistration expires |
| January 11, 2001 |
Oleg Marchenko, as individual and founding member of MCJW, files complaint in Kuzminki Intermunicipal Court of Moscow against Justice Department's November 24 denial of reregistration; hearing set for January 19, 2001 |
| January 12, 2001 |
Second formal denial of reregistration, applied to fifth and final application; denial based on ongoing prosecution in Golovinsky Court to ban and liquidate MCJW |
| January 19, 2001 |
Kuzminki Court postpones hearing to February 9, 2001, as Justice Department fails to appear |
| February 6, 2001 |
Presnya Court delays hearing to March 6, 2001, on motion of MCJW lawyer
Prosecution in Golovsinky Court for trial to ban is set for same date |
| February 9, 2001 |
Kuzminki Court orders MCJW to be party in case brought by Oleg Marchenko and suspends hearing pending decision of Presnya Court |
| February 19, 2001 |
Marchenko files appeal in Moscow City Court against Kuzminki Court order of suspension |
| February 23, 2001 |
Judge Prokhorycheva of Golovinsky Court dismisses prosecutor's application to ban and liquidate |
| March 6, 2001 |
Presnya Court delays hearing (fourth time) to April 10, 2001, as Justice Department fails to appear |
| April 11, 2001 |
Igor Denisov, as individual and founding member of MCJW, files complaint in Butyrka Intermunicipal Court of Moscow against Justice Department's second formal denial of reregistration on January 12, 2001, and because of ongoing prosecution to ban in Golovinsky Court
Court sets pretrial hearing for May 17, 2001 |
| April 10, 2001 |
Presnya Court again delays hearing (fifth time) until 5 June 2000 |
| May 17, 2001 |
Butyrka Court delays pre-trial hearing of Denisov's claim to May 31, 2001
Justice Department fails to appear |
| May 24, 2001 |
Moscow City Court allows Marchenko's appeal, reversing Kuzminki Court's order to suspend proceedings |
| May 30, 2001 |
Moscow City Court allows Prosecutor's appeal of order Judge Prokhorycheva of Golovinsky Court that dismissed claim to ban and liquidate; retrial ordered |
| May 31, 2001 |
Pretrial before Butyrka Court in Denisov's claim; hearing set for August 28, 2001 |
| June 5, 2001 |
Presnya Court again delays hearing (sixth time) to September 3 |
| August 28, 2001 |
Butyrka Court begins hearing of Denisov's complaint; MCJW granted standing as party
Hearing adjourned to October 2, 2001, to obtain official response from Golovinsky Court on prosecution to ban and liquidate |
| September 3, 2001 |
After six adjournments in one year, Presnya Court refuses to recognize Chaykovsky's power to act on behalf of MCJW and refused a hearing on merits; Presnya Court stated, however, that any other member can file a complaint on the same issue |
| September 13, 2001 |
MCJW files appeal in Moscow City Court against order of Presnya City Court |
| September 14, 2001 |
Kuzminki Court dismisses Marchenko's complaint on basis that decision of Justice Department affected only MCJW's collective rights, not that of individuals; this order is despite the Kuzminki Court's earlier order that MCJW be included as a party to this proceeding |
| September 24, 2001 |
Marchenko and MCJW file appeals against order of Kuzminki Court in Moscow City Court
Appeal hearing set for November 28, 2001 |
| October 12, 2001 |
Butyrka Court dismisses Denisov's civil complaint and refuses to hear MCJW's independent claims, even though Community had been granted standing on August 28, 2001; no reasons yet issued |
| November 27, 2001 |
Butyrka Court issues reasons relying on Golovinsky banning trial as grounds for denial of reregistration
Court finds that lack of reregistration restricts rights of MCJW |
| December 10, 2001 |
Moscow City Court rejects appeal of Marchenko against the Kuzminki Court decision; no reasons have yet been issued |
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