March 13, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Institute on Religion and Public Policy condemns Russia's recent harassment and discrimination of Jehovah's Witnesses. Since mid-February Russian prosecutorial authorities have performed over 500 "check-ups" on Jehovah's Witness groups around the country. This new wave of investigations was ordered by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office following their failure to shut down the Jehovah's Witness St. Petersburg headquarters on the grounds of extremism.

Although the government has not found any violations of law, they are fishing through medical records, employment records, education records, and many other sensitive documents. The government has also illegally ordered baseless investigations through other agencies to attempt to find information that could assist in shutting down the Jehovah's Witnesses operations. Jehovah's Witnesses filed suit in Russian courts, but were dismissed. Subsequently, they filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights on March 9, 2009

Jehovah's Witnesses were severely persecuted in the former Soviet Union, but the democratic regimes attempted to exonerate the victims of this repression. According to the Institute's Founder and President Joseph K. Grieboski, "With this new wave of discrimination it appears that Russia may be moving back toward a totalitarian and repressive regime that does not recognize religious freedom or abide by its international commitments. It is critical for the international community to hold the Russian government accountable to its commitments and its obligation to protect the rights of its own citizens."

Institute on Religion and Public Policy