Jehovah's Witnesses report nearly 400 facts of harassment of their members in Russia in 2011

In 2011, the Russian Federation saw 397 instances of oppression against members of the international religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. This was reported by believers themselves, who state increased pressure on them. Officials from law enforcement bodies claim that they are acting in accordance with the law.

"In many cases of our liturgical meetings the police are unreasonably applying the Federal Law 'On Assemblies, Meetings, Demonstrations, Marches and Pickets', equating the church service to a public event, which should be reported to local authorities," said the Administrative Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Law enforcers initiate administrative proceedings against individuals for "violating the established order of holding assemblies, meetings, demonstrations, marches or pickets."

In 2010, in 18 regions of Russia 27 such cases were initiated; 14 of them were stopped; and 10 believers "were brought to justice." In 2011, out of 26 cases opened in 16 regions of Russia, 12 times Jehovah's Witnesses were brought to responsibility; and 9 cases were stopped, said the report of the Administrative Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, which was received by the "Caucasian Knot".

As reported by the believers, during their investigatory actions employees of the local MIA and FSB tap telephone conversations, install hidden video surveillance in the rooms where religious meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses are held, and believers' homes, intercept mail, collect personal information and make lists of all the Witnesses present in at religious meetings.

"The actions of the authorities of intimidating and harassing the believers are intended to restrict or suppress their activities, making them outcasts in the society," said Vasily Kalin, an employee of the Administrative Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.

According to the Administrative Centre, in order to assess the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, the government agencies turn to advocates of Russia's traditional faiths. Orthodox priests are invited to litigations as witnesses.

So far, there are no comments of law enforcers on the information regarding violations of the law with respect to individual members of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia in 2011, as well as on the statistics on violations of believers' constitutional rights. However, earlier, officials of the judiciary and law enforcement bodies, when speaking about some demonstrative searches in homes of Jehovah's Witnesses, in particular, conducted in North Ossetia in 2010, argued that the measures had been taken under the law.