RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Civil penalty against Murmansk Jehovah's Witnesses

LEADER OF SNEZHNOGORSK JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES FINED FOR POSSESSION OF FORBIDDEN EXTREMIST LITERATURE

Press Service of prosecutor's office of Murmansk province, 9 February 2017

 

By the ruling of a court, the chairman of the committee of the local religious organization of Snezhnogorsk Jehovah's Witnesses was fined for possession of forbidden extremist literature.

 

As the result of an inspection by the Murmansk prosecutor's office for monitoring compliance with the laws by especially designated targets it was established that the chairman of the committee of the local religious organization of Snezhnogorsk Jehovah's Witneses, Andrei Eliseev, possessed extremist materials for purposes of mass distribution.

 

Thus, during an inspection by personnel of the police of the provincial Russian MVD for Alexandrovsk of the premises of the house of worship of the local religious organization of Snezhnogorsk Jehovah's Witnesses, the fact was established of the possession of literature included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian federation, which violates the requirements of the Russian federal law of 25 July 2002, "On combating extremist activity," and the federal law of 26 September 1997, "On freedom of conscience and religious associations."

 

Said literature, which is included in the published federal list of extremist materials, was stored, for the purpose of mass distribution, in the premises of the house of worship where weekly meetings and worship services of the religious organization of Snezhnogorsk Jehovah's Witnesses are conducted.

 

According to the results of a judicial investigation, the guilt of Andrei Eliseev in committing the violation of law under article 20.29 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of the RF, namely possession of extremist materials for purposes of mass distribution, was completely proven.

 

By order of the Polyarnyi district court of Murmansk province, Eliseev, the chairman of the committee of the local religious organization of Snezhnogorsk Jehovah's Witnesses, was held administratively accountable on the basis of article 20.29 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of the RF and an administrative penalty in the form of a fine was assessed against him.

 

The forbidden literature was confiscated and destroyed. (tr. by PDS, posted 19 February 2017)


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