By prohibiting its members from taking blood transfusion, the Jehovah’s
Witnesses as a group violates the law on resistance to extremism, the
spokeswoman for Russia’s Justice Ministry told the Supreme Court on
Thursday.
“Checks have found that the organisation is in breach of the law on
resistance to extremism. In particular, the organisation’s religious
literature forbids blood transfusion for its members in defiance of the
doctors’ recommendation,” the spokeswoman said, providing documentary
evidence about one such case
Also, the Justice Ministry’s official said Jehovah’s Witnesses insist on
their own exclusiveness, which also contradicts the law on resistance
to extremist activity.
“The religious organization Jehovah’s Witnesses has been repeatedly
warned by courts of law, but it has taken no required measures to
eliminate the violations,” the Justice Ministry said.
The Justice Ministry believes that Jehovah’s Witnesses must be outlawed
and the organization’s properties, including those of the 395 regional
chapters, confiscated.
“In view of the threat posed by the organisation Jehovah’s Witnesses,
the Justice Ministry asks for declaring it extremist and banning its
activity,” the Justice Ministry’s official said.
In its lawsuit the Justice Ministry mentions a variety of violations,
including those of the the federal law on resistance to extremist
activities.
Jehovah’s Witnesses’ press-service has told TASS the organisation “finds
this affair very worrisome, because the decision may affect 175,000
believers.” Jehovah’s Witnesses spokesman Ivan Bilenko said the
organisation was prepared to press for its rights in any courts.
On Wednesday, when the Russian Supreme Court began hearing the Justice
Ministry request for the outlaw of the movement, the movement filed a
counterclaim demanding the court proclaim the ministry’s actions as
political repression.
The court however rejected the request.
The Supreme Court decided that the counterclaim could not be reviewed
during the session, as it was filed in an inappropriate court.
“The court ruled to reject the counterclaim taking into account the fact
that the party violated the jurisdiction rules,” the judge announced.
The Court also refused to let 395 local chapters of Jehovah’s Witnesses participate in the hearings.