RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Court rules that personal witness is not missionary activity

KALININGRAD COURTS CONFIRM THAT DISSEMINATION OF ONE'S RELIGIOUS VIEWS CANNOT BE CONSIDERED EVANGELISM

SOVA Center for News and Analysis, 16 November 2016

 

It was reported on 15 November 2016 that in Kaliningrad four administrative cases that had been opened because of "illegal evangelism" by Jehovah's Witnesses were closed for lack of evidence of a crime.

 

The cases were reviewed in a district court of Kaliningrad and two magistrate's courts on 14 October, 9 November, 11 November, and 15 November. In all cases the court ruled that "the law 'On freedom of conscience' does not contain a prohibition of disseminating personal religious experience and communication on religious topics," and it ordered that "the activity of believers who simply wished to exercise their right to disseminate their religious views does not comprise the totality of indicators of missionary activity." (tr. by PDS, posted 16 November 2016)

 

Source: Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 15 November 2016


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