23:58, 18 April 2024

Rights defenders declare Valery Bailo as political prisoner

A detention facility. Photo by Yelena Sineok, Yuga.ru

In violation of international legal norms, Valery Bailo, a Jehovah's Witness* from the Krasnodar Territory, was arrested on charges of extremism. The human rights project "Support for Political Prisoners. Memorial" has stated that his prosecution is politically motivated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 10, it became known that law enforcers had conducted a search of Valery Bailo, a 66-year-old Jehovah's Witness*, after which he was taken into custody.

Human rights defenders have explained that accusations against Jehovah's Witnesses* of extremism, based only on the fact that they distributed materials of this denomination and participated in meetings, are discriminatory and violate international legal norms, in particular, on the freedom of religion.

*396 Russian organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses are recognized as extremist, and their activities in Russia are banned by court's decision.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 18, 2024 at 12:33 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.

Source: Caucasian Knot