Amnesty criticises the Russian judgment for extremism

"Amnesty criticises the Russian judgment of extremism"

"A Danish man who is a member of the Jehovah's witnesses have been sentenced to six years in prison for religious extremism in Russia."

"the human rights organisation Amnesty International rejects the judgment and require that the man immediately released."

"– We see it as deeply disturbing and very unfortunate. He is convicted for something that should not be considered a crime, which is to simply exercise their religious rights. We believe that he is a prisoner of conscience, and to his immediate release, " says Trine Christensen, secretary general of Amnesty international Denmark, TT."

"The Danish citizen were arrested during a bible reading in the city of Oryol and has been in custody since may of 2017. The arrest came shortly after Russia cancelled the Jehovah's witnesses as an extremist communities and the business was banned. Since then, human rights organisations have reported on how the Russian state stood for a widespread persecution of the followers to the movement, with many arrests and polisräder."

"the Judge pointed out that the 46-year-old, who lives in Russia and is married with a Russian woman, been active in order to maintain the Jehovah's witnesses prohibited activities in Russia, according to Amnesty Denmark, who was present in court in Oryol."

"the Man is the first Jehovah's witness to be sentenced for extremism in Russia. He denies that he is guilty of a crime."

"the Danish foreign minister Anders Samuelsen also expresses its deep concern over the judgment and criticise Russia in order to treat Jehovah's witnesses with the banned terrorist organisations."

"Trine Christensen says that the judgment, in addition to after such a long time in custody, are very strict. But she says that the new Russian laws are used to "

"– There is a wider pattern in Russia, where freedom of expression, freedom of association, freedom of assembly as well as freedom of religion has been under escalating continuous attack in the last few years, " she says."

"Erik Jørgensen, a spokesperson for the Jehovah's witnesses in Denmark, calling the verdict"

"He also says to the news agency Ritzau that the Jehovah's witnesses intend to continue to be active in Russia."

" We will to preach to all them we will in the vicinity of, but it may happen that we do it with more caution."

"– We can't stand on the street and hand out our magazines in Russia, but we can talk with our neighbors about the Bible, continues Jørgensen."

"Jehovah's witnesses emerged in the USA in the 1870s."

"the key for members is the belief on the earth's imminent destruction. They also believe that only those who live as Jehovah's witnesses will be resurrected and get a chance to live forever in paradise."

"Those who have been involved in the organization and then stopped taking the members a distance away from. Jehovah's witnesses also reject cooperation with other religious groups and is considered to be because, among others, often as a cult."

' Witnesses celebrate neither christmas, birthdays or new year. The only feast that is celebrated is the Commemoration, in memory of the death of Jesus."

"the Members do not accept blood transfusions, does not get involved in politics and do not do military service. Among other things the latter has done to the movement has been banned in some countries."

"There were approximately 7.5 million Jehovah's witnesses around the world in 2012."

"During the 1800s, last year came the movement to Sweden. In 2012, there were approximately 22 300 members spread across the country."

"Source: Nationalencyklopedin"