JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' PROPERTY WORTH 888.5 MILLION RUBLES SEIZED IN STATE'S FAVOR
by Mikhail Telekhov
The decision of a court regarding seizure for state ownership of a property complex, worth 88.5 million rubles, of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, which had been liquidated in Russia, has taken effect, RAPSI was told on Friday [sic—Thursday?] in the St. Petersburg city court.
Previously the Sestroretsk district court established that a transaction of the religious organization for alienation of the Jehovah's Witnesses' complex in the village of Solnechnoe to a legal entity registered on the territory of the U.S.A. has an imaginary character, since after the transfer of the property to the ownership of a foreign entity, the local religious organization continued to use the complex and bear the burden of its maintenance. "The decision of the court applied the consequences of the invalidity of the voided transaction, and the immoveable property was transferred to the ownership of the Russian Federation," the court's ruling says.
In the appeal filed in the St. Petersburg city court, the respondent speaks about the lack of specification of the circumstances whereby the Administrative Center maintained complete control over the alienated property. In addition, the declarer alleged that the court of first instance violated norms of substantive law; specifically, it incorrectly applied sanctions provided by the law "On combating extremism," and declarer cited, inter alia, a violation of the Convention for Protection of Human Rights.
"The attorney for the defendant urged, through an interpreter, to the panel of judges the necessity of consideration without regard to political processes that are occurring between the R.F. and the U.S.A., explaining that all is within God's will and that all activity and intentions of the organization fully conformed, and now do conform, with God's laws," the St. Petersburg city court said.
The court left the appeal without satisfaction.
The lawsuit for seizing the property complex of the organization Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, which had been liquidated on the territory of Russia, was filed in the Sestroretsk district court of St. Petersburg by the prosecutor's office of the Kurortny district of St. Petersburg. The defendant was the legal entity Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, registered in New York of the U.S.A., to which the land and immoveable property had been transferred by a donation agreement.
According to information of the prosecutor's office, the property complex of the Jehovah's Witnesses consists of 16 items of real estate—land parcels, residential buildings, and administrative buildings—and it is located on Srednaia Street in the village of Solnechnoe. The total assessed value of the complex is more than 881.5 million rubles.
The activity of the Jehovah's Witnesses in
Russia and local divisions that were members of its structure was
terminated by a decision of the Russian Supreme Court of 20 April.
In its decision, the Supreme Court reflected that the property of
the Administrative Center of the religious organization is subject
to conversion into property of the Russian Federation. (tr. by
PDS, posted 3 May 2018)
IN ST. PETERSBURG QUESTION OF PROPERTY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN SOLNECHNOE IS BEING DECIDED
Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 3 May 2018
On 3 May 2018, at 12:50, fifty minutes late, a city court in St. Petersburg began the hearing of an appeal of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania on a decision of the Sestroretsk court of St. Petersburg, which annulled a 17-year-old transaction by which the Society became the owner of a large liturgical complex in the suburbs of St. Petersburg.
The case is being heard by a panel of three judges: Tatiana Kudasova (reporter), Svetlana Nichkova, and Galina Kordiukova. Participants in the trial include the vice-president of the Watchtower Society, Richard Devine, and attorneys Artur Leontiev and Viktor Shipilov. The side of the plaintiff is represented by the prosecutor's office, Rosreestr, and Rosimushchestvo.
About 45 persons are in attendance in the courtroom, including foreign diplomats and representatives of the news media. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 May 2018)
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