The U.S. state Department released a report which expressed concern over the harassment of religious minorities, such as the «Jehovah’s Witnesses».
The state Department notes that the Constitution provides for freedom of religion, but the Supreme court has recognized the international religious organization «Jehovah’s Witnesses» extremist for its representatives distributed literature and obliged to liquidate the assets of their headquarters. In addition, in recent months, law-enforcement bodies organized mass persecution and torture of the followers of this doctrine.
According to the report of the Department of state, after the adoption in 2016 of the so-called law of Spring (which prohibits religious organizations to preach and to conduct missionary activities in apartments and houses), the police conducted raids on private homes and places of worship, arresting many followers.
In addition, the Russian government is increasingly giving orders on deportation of foreign citizens engaged in religious activities, including the Rabbi, four Baptists from Korea and pastor of a Pentecostal from India.
Informatsionno-analiticheskiy Tsentr «Sova» reported 26 acts of vandalism caused by religious, ethnic or ideological hatred within a year (compared with the 28 acts that were registered in 2016). Most areas who have suffered at the hands of bullies, belonged to «Jehovah’s Witnesses».
In connection with the above harassment nearly 400 communities of «Jehovah’s Witnesses», filed complaints to the European court of human rights. The Strasbourg court, in turn, appealed to the Russian government to find out whether the country adheres to the European Convention on the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, whether you are implementing it the right to freedom of peaceful Assembly and the prohibition of discrimination. The response of the authorities has not followed yet.
Washington also mentioned in the annual report of the controversial film «Matilda», which tells the story of an extramarital affair between crown Prince Nicholas Romanov and the prima ballerina of the Mariinsky theatre with Mathilde Kschessinska. Orthodox Church canonized Nicholas II in 2000, so many Orthodox critics called the film an insult of feelings of believers and the government.
