ECtHR obliges Russia to pay 70,000 euros to Jehova's Witnesses

Today, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has passed a decision in favour of the religious organization of Jehova's Witnesses in Russia on the case about liquidation of its community in Moscow in March 2004, and obliged the authorities of the Russian Federation to pay 70,000 euros to the applicants.

"The ECtHR has made a unanimous decision in favour of Jehova's Witnesses, having ruled to satisfy our claim in all respects," Grigori Martynov, representative of the press service of the Administrative Centre of Jehova's Witnesses in Russia, told the "Caucasian Knot".

According to Arli Chimirov, a lawyer of the Inter-Regional Bar of Moscow, who represented believers' interests at the ECtHR, the claim had stated violations of Article 9 of the Convention ("Right to Freedom of Religion"), Article 11 ("Right to Association"), Article 10 ("Freedom of Self-Expression"), Article 8 ("Right to Respect Private and Family Life"), Artilce 6 ("Right to Fair Trial") and Article 14 ("Prohibition of Discrimination").

The case against Jehova's Witnesses in Moscow was initiated on April 20, 1998, after the new law on the freedom of conscience was adopted. After 3 years of litigation, the court passed a decision in favour of the freedom of worship; however, the prosecutor's office insisted on a new consideration; and on March 24, 2004, the Golovin Court of Moscow, in a new composition of the court, ruled to ban the community of Jehova's Witnesses in Moscow.

The charges, on the basis of which the ban was imposed, were identical to those, under which the believers' community in Taganrog, Rostov Region, was banned; namely: destruction of families, refusal to receive medical service, to serve in the army, etc. The ECtHR found the proofs, on the basis of which the ban was introduced, insufficient.

Let us remind you that the fact of liquidation of the community in Taganrog was appealed against to the ECtHR on June 1 this year.