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Russia tries to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses, like Nazi Germany did before WWII Russia’s Ministry of Justice says Jehovah’s Witnesses are ‘terrorists’; Russia’s Supreme Court to decide whether to outlaw the religion - yet again Share on Facebook 5 Are you an influencer? Washington, D.C.’s United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Website expresses deep concern over the Russian government’s treatment of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Underway since April 5, Russia’s #Ministry Of Justice is asking its Supreme Court to outlaw Jehovah’s Witnesses, allowing their arrest and imprisonment and the confiscation of their property used in worship. Holocaust Museum Director Sara Bloomfield does not equate Russia’s crimes against humanity to #Nazi Germany’s, but she draws a clear parallel: What ended up as the shamefully heinous murder of at least 1,400 Jehovah’s Witnesses in prisons and concentration camps all began when the Nazi Party declared Jehovah’s Witnesses a threat to Germany’s security and viciously persecuted them. That is what Russia is doing today. Heavy-handed history Dr. Mark Elliott, founding editor of “East-West Church and Ministry Report,” of Kentucky’s Asbury University, says that in 1951-52 the Soviet Union exiled some 7,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses to Central Asia and Siberia. Picture the scene: You’re at home, asleep, and suddenly waken with a jolt. It’s 2:00 a.m. Someone’s pounding on your door. Wide awake, your whole family watches armed officials push their way into your home and order you to pack—you have two hours. You throw a few possessions and clothing into a suitcase and are escorted to a waiting train, which transports you thousands of miles from home. State apologizes, then attacks Decades later you and your family are allowed to return to your hometown. In the 1990s, you are exonerated as innocent victims of repression and receive a certificate as an apology. Now, 20 years later, armed officials again invade and search your home, scaring you and your children out of your wits. Finding a children’s Bible storybook that you forgot to discard, the officials bark that you are in possession of extremist literature and take you to police headquarters. Police harshly interrogate you, accuse you of extremism, criminally book you and even lead you to jail. The government had added that storybook in 2009 to a list of prohibited “extremist” publications. A children’s Bible stories book with extremist content! Anti-extremist legislation misapplied You now see just how flimsy those certificates of exoneration are. You are again maligned as a danger to the nation and its citizens. This time you and your family are extremists, even terrorists. Russia’s anti-extremist legislation—drafted vaguely and imprecisely several years ago—is being misapplied to your family’s worship of God, which now supposedly is a criminal act. Church invasions YouTube has many security-camera videos that catch Russian officials red-handed, in the act of entering Kingdom Halls (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ places of worship) in the deep of the night, holding “banned” publications like that Bible stories book. They plant them on the premises and leave. The next day armed, masked officials invade your Kingdom Hall, interrupt religious services, mistreat and threaten you and other congregation members, and search the premises. Lo and behold! They discover “illegal” publications—Bible-based books or brochures about how to live a clean, respectable life—that supposedly violate legislation intended to prevent terrorism. They find no bomb-making kits, no explosives, no weapons stockpile, no secret plans of attack … Yet the officials confiscate the building, and the next week your place of worship is now a government-“owned” parking lot. Website tells all Jehovah’s Witnesses’ official Website (jw.org) contains much video proof, video testimonials of abused worshippers, even interviews with non-Witness experts like Dr. Elliott, who decry what Russia’s government is doing to this religious group—fooling no one. Moscow’s criminal case against Jehovah’s Witnesses resumes April 12. {source blastingtv}.

Welcome to USCIRF RUSSIA : Russia Suspends Jehovah’s Witnesses FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 4, 2017 RUSSIA: Russia Suspends Jehovah’s Witnesses USCIRF Condemns Actions That Would Eliminate the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Legal Existence in Russia Washington, D.C. – Russia’s Justice Ministry suspended the Jehovah’s Witnesses on March 24, alleging that its activities “violate Russia’s laws on combating extremism.” The Russian authorities have used their extremism law to systematically harass the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a legally registered religious group in Russia with close to 200,000 adherents. That law, which requires neither the use nor advocacy of violence for activity to be labeled extremist, was enacted after a sustained Russian campaign against this group began in early 2006. Thomas J. Reese, S.J., Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) stated, “The Russian government’s latest actions appear designed to eliminate the legal existence of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia. If the Supreme Court rules in April that this group is ‘extremist’ it would mark the first time that Russia legally has banned a centrally-administered religious organization and would effectively criminalize all Jehovah’s Witnesses’ activity nationwide. USCIRF calls on the Russian government to stop its harassment of this peaceful religious group.” The treatment of the Jehovah’s Witnesses reflects the Russian government’s tendency to view all independent religious activity as a threat to its control and the country’s political stability. This approach dates back to the Soviet period and impacts other religious groups, including peaceful Christians and Muslims. These groups are also being persecuted for their beliefs in the Russian-occupied areas of Crimea and eastern Ukraine. In March 2016, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office warned the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ national headquarters that the organization could be banned and its activities shut down nationwide if further evidence of alleged “extremism” was found within a year. In January 2017, an appellate court rejected the Witnesses’ appeal of the warning, and in March 2017 the Ministry of Justice filed a formal request for the Russian Supreme Court to designate the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ headquarters as extremist. USCIRF calls on the Russian government and judiciary to respect the freedom of religion or belief and halt their harassment of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and other religious groups. For more information, see USCIRF’s 2016 Annual Report chapter on Russia. Click here to view the Russian version of the chapter. To interview a Commissioner please contact media@uscirf.gov or John D. Lawrence, Director of Communications (JLawrence@USCIRF.gov/+1-202-786-0611).

Scholars find trial of Jehovah's Witnesses absurd EXPERTS DO NOT CONSIDER JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' ASSERTION OF THE TRUTH OF THEIR RELIGION TO BE EXTREMISM Kavkazskii Uzel, 8 April 2017 Conviction of the exceptional nature of their beliefs is inherent in many religious movements, according to personnel of rights advocacy organizations and religious studies scholars who were questioned by Kavkazskii Uzel. They question the reasonableness of the lawsuit for the liquidation of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses being considered by the Russian Supreme Court. As Kavkazskii Uzel has reported, on 7 April a hearing on the lawsuit of the Ministry of Justice for banning the activity of the administrative center as an extremist organization continued. In the opinion of the ministry, the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses carries a threat to the rights of citizens and to public safety. Lawyers for the defendant called the attempt to ban their activity political repressions, although the court did not agree with this assessment. According to an attorney for the Ministry of Justice, after the liquidation of the organization, law enforcement agencies may initiate cases on the basis of article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (arranging activity of an extremist organization), which provides for fines of from 300 to 800 thousand rubles and prison terms of from 2 to 12 years. The proceedings look extremely absurd Prohibition of the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses on the basis of their conviction of the truth of their beliefs appears questionable, thinks the senior academic fellow of the Center for the Study of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Urals-Volga Region of the Institute of Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Mikhail Roshchin. "The theory of the exceptional nature of a religion is shared by both Catholics, Christians, and Muslims. This is a normal, reasonable position for monotheistic religion. However it is not characteristic for far eastern religions—Buddhism, Hinduism, Daoism, and Shinto. At the present time, in the "western" world it is considered that all religions are the same and the postulate of the exceptional nature is not pertinent," the religious studies scholar explained for a Kavkazskii Uzel correspondent. After studying the arguments of the plaintiff, Roshchin came to the conclusion that the attorneys for the Ministry of Justice do not have a clear position. "They are not in a position to answer the judge's questions. The plaintiff side is unable to articulate specifically which actions are regarded as extremism. One gets the impression that the ministry is not prepared for the trial," Roshchin said. The scholar called attention to the fact that religious studies experts were not involved in the trial. "I think that was done so that the position of the plaintiff would not seem quite flimsy. "While there are specialized experts who have studied the Jehovah's Witnesses, particularly Sergei Ivanenko, the author of two books (about this religious organization)," Roshchin said. The expert said that he would not refuse to participate in the trial if he were invited. "This is interesting. Judging by accounts in the press, the trial appears extremely absurd," Mikhail Roshchin explained. In Russia, there are 396 registered religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses, which include 2277 religious groups of this confession. The number of adherents reaches 175 thousand persons. Of them, around 48 thousand "actively practicing adherents" of the confession reside in the regions of the South Federal District and North Caucasus Federal District, not counting sympathizers, Kavkazskii Uzel was told by the press secretary of the head office of Russian Jehovah's Witnesses, Ivan Belenko. According to information of attorney Omelchenko, the overall number of attendees at meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia is about 300 thousand persons. Thesis is inherent to the overwhelming majority of world religions Faith in the exceptional nature of one's own convictions is the basis for the judicial prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, thinks Alexander Verkhovsky, the director of the right's advocacy center "SOVA" and an expert on matters of religion, nationalism, and xenophobia. "This thesis is inherent to the overwhelming majority of world religions; it is their natural property. This aspect was not considered in the drafting of the law about extremism. It migrated there from old legislative norms, which were sketched out irrelevantly when the issue was the prohibition of national exceptionalism. However race and religion are not one and the same. There is an enormous difference between the assertion that some people are better than others by their innate properties and the claim that they are exceptional by virtue of their views," Verkhovsky told a Kavkazskii Uzel correspondent. By article 1 of the federal law "On combating extremist activity," as such activity is considered "propaganda of the exceptionalism, superiority, or inferiority of a person on the basis of his social, racial, national, religious, or linguistic affiliation or attitude toward religion." In early 2009 a campaign for pressure on Jehovah's Witnesses was initiated by the office of prosecutor general, Verkhovsky recalled. "Whether at the time they had in mind reaching liquidation is unknown. Throughout Russia there occurred mass synchronized inspections of organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses, conducted by the Ministry of Justice, fire inspection, and prosecutors' offices. Here and there representatives of an inspection party showed a warrant on the basis of which the inspection was conducted. The document mentioned the Office of the Prosecutor General," Verkhovsky said, clarifying that "at the last minute the office tossed the judicial proceedings to the Ministry of Justice." "In February 2009 the prosecutors of constituent entities [subjects] of the RF were sent an order . . . to conduct inspections of the legality of the activity of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Unfortunately, the nature of the formulation of the order and the extremely tight deadlines for its execution show that the issue was a clear statement for the liquidation of this religious organization," according to an open letter written in April of the same year by a representative of the head office of Russian believers, Vasily Kalin, to Prosecutor General Yury Chaika. The then commissioner for human rights in Russia, Vladimir Lukin, noted in a letter to Chaika that the prosecutor's office "has formulated a negative attitude with respect to the religious organization," and "it is promoting persecution aimed at finding a basis for banning its activity." The refusal of the court to involve religious studies specialists in the trial seems to Verkhovsky "not normal, but typical." "In the majority of cases with the application of extremist legislation, if the issue is about religious organizations, the expert analyses are not done by religious studies scholars. Such a system is, of course, perverse," the expert summed up. It feels as if the trial will not end in favor of the Jehovah's Witnesses "The situation is ambiguous. It is still good that the Ministry of Justice did not involve its own religious studies specialists; that could even be worse," Lev Levinson, an expert of the Institute of Human Rights and director of the Library of Rights Advocacy Literature, expressed his own point of view, implying specialists who are connected with the official church. The expert doubted a desire of the Ministry of Justice "to drag the patriarchate into court," since in such an event the confessional bias would become obvious. Russian Supreme Court Justice Yury Ivanenko is conducting the trial objectively, the rights advocate thinks. "The judge poses interesting questions to justice ministry's lawyers, specifically just what kind of consequences have been caused by the distribution of printed materials (subsequently ruled to be extremist)," Levinson told a Kavkazskii Uzel correspondent. "However one gets the feeling that the trial will not end in the Jehovah's Witnesses' favor. I am sure that in the event of a decision that is not satisfactory for the religious organization, it will be appealed to the European Court for Human Rights, but that will not stop the repressive measures," Levinson summed up. In Jehovah's Witnesses' publications the specification of "exceptionalism" is not introduced with respect to their own beliefs, although the affirmation of the truth of their faith is expressed many times. "Jehovah's Witnesses are sure that they have found the true religion. Otherwise they would not profess that faith. . . . However they consider that they do not have the right to decide who will be saved and who will not be," the periodical Watchtower for 1 November 2008 specifically says. Similar thoughts are also expressed in forbidden publications, for example, in the brochure "Who are the Jehovah's Witnesses? What do they believe?" that was ruled to be extremist by decision of the Rostov provincial court of 11 September 2009 and by the determination of the Judicial College for Civil Affairs of the Supreme Court of Russia of 8 December 2009. What kind of certification do you want to give to people whom you call extremists? On 7 April, Justice Yury Ivanenko recalled an episode when in 2014 the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses imported into Russian territory literature that was later ruled extremist. The judge questioned the justice ministry's attorney how it was possible to know about the importation of forbidden material, if it was not in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. One of the lawyers for the defendant successfully petitioned for adding to the case an extract from the Rossiiskaia Gazeta which indicated the dates of the entry of material into the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The judge's decision was met by an approving whisper and quiet applause from the audience in the courtroom. An opposite effect was created by the emotional statement of the chairman of the Governing Body of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Vasily Kalin. Having survived exile in Siberia, Kalin showed the court the certification of a rehabilitated victim of political repressions. In deathly silence the elderly man put the question to the justice ministry's lawyer: "What kind of certification does the ministry want to present to people whom it declares to be extremists?" Local religious organizations in the South Federal District and North Caucasus Federal District have frequently been fined for using literature that later was entered into the Federal List of Extremist Materials. And several local organizations have been liquidated including those in Taganrog, Abinsk, Cherkessk, and Elista. If one views texts in such a way, Russia may be left without books Attorney Viktor Zhenkov pointed out that there is no extremist component in the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses, despite the fact that many of their publications have been registered in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. "No single incident of the use of force with respect to law enforcement agencies or peaceful citizens has been registered," Zhenkov noted in the courtroom. In the opinion of the defense attorney, if one applies everywhere the criteria by which printed texts of the organization were entered into the Federal List of Extremist Materials, "then Russia could quickly be left entirely without books." As an example, Zhenkov cited the argument of the prosecutor from the lawsuit for finding the translation of the Bible produced by Jehovah's Witnesses to be extremist: "Taken as a book, the Bible ceases to be the Bible, which it is only in the Church." This quotation produced in the courtroom a big effect: the audience laughed out loud and the judge had to call them to order. "The Bible, Quran, Tanakh, and Kangyur, their contents and quotations from them may not be ruled to be extremist materials," article 3.1 of the federal law "On combating extremist activity" says. "For now a constructive dialogue is going on. The judge is conducting the trial correctly, giving the opportunity to work," the attorney commented on the day's results. At the next session, scheduled for 10.00 Moscow time on 12 April, it is planned to continue the explanations of the defendant. "There also will be questioning of witnesses. The defendant has many written pieces of evidence," Viktor Zhenkov told a Kavkazskii Uzel correspondent. There are not enough seats in the courtroom for everybody According to eyewitnesses, around 9:00 Moscow time, an hour before the start of the hearing on 7 April, a long line had begun to form at the entrance to the Supreme Court, which extended 50 meters along the building on Povarskaia Street. In the line stood journalists and also believers, mainly Jehovah's Witnesses. Far from everybody were allowed into the court. "This trial affects me as a believer directly; however it was impossible for me to be even a witness of the proceedings," said a girl identifying herself as Maria, who did not get into the courtroom. "We see how, slowly but surely, a religious structure is being destroyed. Today-- Jehovah's Witnesses, tomorrow--Baptists, day after tomorrow—Muslims," a man identifying himself as Mikhail said to a Kavkazskii Uzel correspondent. "It is my profound conviction that our religious organization became simply inconvenient to other administrative bodies of other confessions. Someone at the highest levels lobbied for the start of a trial whose result could be the prohibition of the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia," declared a believer by the name of Alexander. The international community has frequently called attention to the application of the law on extremism to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Thus, the United Nations Committee on Human Rights expressed "concern about numerous reports that the aforesaid law is ever more often being used for restriction on the freedom of the expression opinion, including political protest, and freedom of religion, being aimed particularly at Jehovah's Witnesses," according to "Concluding Comments on the Seventh Periodic Report of the Russian Federation" of 28 April 2015. (tr. by PDS, posted 10 April 2017)

This is a very good report by the lawyers. 8 pages long you can print it out yourself to show the friends or others. You can get the original Russian copy at the Witnesses website here : https://jw-russia.org/

https://jw-russia.org/sites/default/files/russiareport_proof-3.pdf THIS IS A PDF OF THE SPECIAL REPORT FROM THE WORLD HEADQUARTERS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNCIL ENTITLED "RUSSIA'S ATTACK ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM"

08 April 2017, 06:57 Experts see no extremism in statements of Jehovah's Witnesses about truth of their religion Members of many religious movements express their conviction of the uniqueness of their doctrines. This opinion was voiced by members of human rights organizations and religious scholars questioned by the "Caucasian Knot". They have questioned the validity of the claim under the consideration at the Supreme Court (SC) of Russia concerning the liquidation of the management centre of Jehovah's Witnesses. The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that according to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses threaten the rights of citizens and public security. Representatives of the defendant called an attempt to ban their activities the political repression. The prohibition of the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses on the basis of their conviction of the truth of their doctrines is doubtful. This opinion was expressed by Mikhail Roschin, Senior Researcher at the Centre for the Study of Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Ural-Volga Region of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). Mikhail Roschin has also noted that religious scholars are not involved in the trial. According to Lev Levinson, an expert at the Human Rights Institute, the head of the library of human rights literature, Yuri Ivanenko, Judge of the Russian SC, is conducting the trial without bias. "However, there is a feeling that the trial will be finished not in favour of Jehovah's Witnesses. I believe that in case if the SC pronounces the decision unsatisfactory for the religious organization, it will be challenged at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). However, that fact will not stop repressive measures," concluded Lev Levinson. Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’. Source: http://www.eng.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/39010/ © Caucasian Knot

Translated from Russian so please excuse any inaccuracies Representatives of the Guinness Book of Records is ready to commit a new world record for the number of letters written ?! What is this marvelous news, which is almost entirely ignored by the media, especially in Russia, but considered representatives of the Guinness Book of Records? Most recently, the post offices in many countries ended international brands. In Facebook, Instagram and other social networks continues to grow the number of photos with people, writing letters to Russia. Guinness workers watch to see letter-writing campaign can this be included in the Book of Records. The current record holder for writing letters The current record for a letter-writing marathon organization "Amnesty International": write letters in defense of human rights. The campaign has been written in general, more than one million letters, through which dozens of people were released. What is this new story - by writing letters in Russian ? At a time when everyone is busy controversy about the extent to which Russia could intervene in the recent US elections, Russia quietly, significantly limited and restricts the freedom of one particular group of its citizens. Perhaps you read and say, "Well, it - Russia, in the end; Is not she always restricts the rights of its citizens? ". Not really. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia became a democratic society with the Constitution, described even more clearly and specifically than freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Despite this assurance, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation petitioned the Supreme Court to recognize Jehovah's Witnesses (Jehovah's Witnesses) extremists on a par with an organization such as LIH. If the claim is satisfied, then for more than 175,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in the country illegally will meet to worship, to discuss the Bible with others or even just to read the Bible in their own homes. Hearing on the case was scheduled for April 5, 2017, hearings were held and now the court will continue April 12, 2017. Interesting statistics © Google Trends All these actions of the Russian authorities have led to the fact that the dynamics of the popularity of Jehovah's Witnesses on the Internet has increased a record compared to other religious denominations. As they say, are now Jehovah's Witnesses on the Internet in the trend, as ever! :-) Top of the Pops in the Google Trends has received their official website, which is locked in a single country in the world - Russia. Witnesses decided to take the pens and pencils In response to the injustice all 8,000,000 of Jehovah's Witnesses from all over the world have decided to write a letter in defense of their Russian fellow six key officials in Moscow, including the president - Vladimir Putin. Sending six letters by mail to Moscow from the United States costs about $ 8. The total cost of postage, according to one researcher, based only on the US level, amounted to more than $ 55 million. In some other countries it cost the family a large part of their monthly income. But these costs do not stop Jehovah's Witnesses to write so many letters in support of their co-religionists. H as the basis of reports from sots.setey, "Jehovah's Witnesses", their children , friends and business partners took up this matter with great desire. Surprisingly, if each of the 8,000,000 people to send six letters, Facebook mathematician calculated that Moscow post office can get a stack of mail in height or length of over 30 kilometers! And Russian Post has celebrated the new record of international mail. This campaign of letter-writing, which was organized by Jehovah's Witnesses, in some countries went so quickly and orderly, that simply amazed. Here is one example: Foreign media about the trial witnesses and letter-writing campaign In addition, many foreign media spread the news about the forthcoming decision of the court, and the campaign of writing letters against the RF Ministry of Justice action against Jehovah's Witnesses (in English / in English) : The article on the Australian site the R ealnewsone begins with the incredible, but absolutely accurate entry : "The Russian government has decided to defy Jehovah God." Rochester, NY (Rochester, NY): Jehovah's Witnesses in favor of freedom in Russia. Of Missouri You will's University then Religion News the Service (University of Missouri, news service): Jehovah's Witnesses are afraid that the Russian authorities may prohibit them Philippines of The (Philippines): Witnesses problem - we join in the appeal against the Russian threat to ban them Leone sierra ( Sierra Leone): "Jehovah's Witnesses" - Mobilizing the global response to the threat of a ban in Russia. The Network's Mission Michigan You will News : Religious freedom and the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia Spokane, Washington You : Jehovah's Witnesses protest against the label And Tobago trinidad : Russia: Witnesses terrorist group World television channel the BBC , on its front page, post articles and videos , as law enforcement throw Witnesses prohibited materials with explanatory interview with a representative of Jehovah's Witnesses, Jaroslav Sivulskii (in English / in English). Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and the websites of other countries also reprinted a press release on the official website of Jehovah's Witnesses. Although the titles of the pro-Russian news sources, you can see several different outlook. But, in fact, the English-language news read as Russian: Had enough, enough, unjustly, that Jehovah's Witnesses are facing a ban! The Helsinki Commission , which consists of US senators and congressmen condemned the Russian lawyers filed a lawsuit. The UN also called on Russia to stop the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses. While a sense of world politicians are not appreciated, millions of Jehovah's Witnesses letters - peaceful, law-abiding citizens who just want that all people have the freedom of religion - strewed all over the world and are perhaps even more chances to persuade the Russian government to stop the persecution than a few American politicians. If your local news outlet covered this story, please feel free to send them the link to this article. Jehovah's Witnesses in the Book of Records Guinness The future will show whether the representatives of the Guinness Book record a new world record for the number of letters written. Jehovah's Witnesses have at times fall into the Guinness World Records - the number of languages into which translations of their literature magazine The Watchtower, which was there , even witnesses were in this book because of the refusal of transfusion of foreign blood . Although Jehovah's Witnesses are not fundamentally, will they in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of written messages or not, because their main task is quite different - the commandment that instructed them to their Lord Christ, in particular, in Matthew 7: 12; Matthew 22: 35-40; 28: 18-20; John 13: 34-35 ... Подробнее тут: http://www.fakt777.ru/ WATCHTOWER HISTORICAL ITEMS AND RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS -FOR MORE INFO AND BOOKS ON RUSSIA REPRESSION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES SEE {LISA.JOEYWIT EBAY}.

INTERVIEW: LAWYER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN RUSSIA IN SUPREME COURT, VIKTOR ZHENKOV Portal-Credo.Ru, 7 April 2017 --Portal-Credo.Ru: What petitions did you submit in the trial in the Supreme Court and which of them were rejected? --Viktor Zhenkov: We submitted about 20 petitions—about including 395 local religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in the capacity of co-defendants, because the Ministry of Justice is demanding their liquidation. We consider that it is impossible to liquidate in open judicial proceedings a legal entity in absentia, without its participation. In addition, the Ministry of Justice demands transferring to government income property that is enumerated in the lawsuit, and among this property there are assets that belong to foreign legal entities. Therefore we submitted a petition for including foreign organizations in the capacity of interested parties. In addition, we submitted a petition for including in the capacity of interested parties individual persons—7 persons who themselves indicated a desire to participate in the trial on the basis of the fact that they are victims of political repressions: in their time, during soviet years, they were exiled as children along with their parents to Siberia for permanent settlement, merely because their parents were Jehovah's Witnesses. As a result the government rehabilitated their parents and themselves, acknowledging them as victims of political repressions, but now, in essence, they are threatened with the same repressions in the event that the organization is liquidated as "extremist." And also we submitted a petition to involve in participation in the case specialists in religious studies and linguistics. All of the petitions enumerated above were rejected. In addition, our organization filed a counter suit in which the organization asked for recognition of it as a victim of political repressions because of the filing in court of the lawsuit of the Ministry of Justice. The counter suit also was rejected. --And which of your petitions still were granted? --A petition to question four witnesses was granted, residents of Moscow and Jehovah's Witnesses believers who can explain their life situation with respect to extremism. --What are your prospects relative to the future course of these proceedings? --Our next session will be held on Wednesday, the 12th. On the basis of the volume of materials that must be examined, the trial will continue another several days, at a minimum. Interview conducted by Vladimir Oivin (tr. by PDS, posted 9 April 2017)

17:07 , 09 April 2017 TRANSLATED FROM RUSSIAN: Jehovah's Witnesses called an ambulance for the Justice Ministry AUTHORGrigory LurieBishop Doctor rides, he goes through the snowy plain, Powder healing people, it's lucky. A man and a cat will take that powder, And sadness will recede, and longing will pass ... In this favorite song of Uncle Fyodor (who still does not know it, please google the video "Man and Cat"!) The hope of the doctor does not have time to come true, but the door of opportunities is still open. In the real biography of the real Fedor Chistyakov everything turned out even more difficult, but after a few turbulent years, he was in a place where he managed to stabilize. And a few years later - to return to the concert activity. And this is the place in which he is still and still - the very thing where people have taken the informal self-name "witnesses". And formally - "Jehovah's Witnesses". Jehovah's Witnesses are not only a religious phenomenon, but also a social phenomenon. And as a social, for my taste, they are much more interesting. They are an ideal test provocation for hidden infections of political regimes. Infected regimes of the twentieth century reacted to the "Witnesses" almost the same way and almost instantly: "In their numerous publications ... they mock the state and the church, maliciously distorting the biblical illustrations. Their methods of struggle are characterized by a fanatical impact on their followers ... " This is a quote from the classics of the genre - the decree of the Reichspresident, at that time Paul von Gindeburg, "On the Protection of the German People and the State" of February 28, 1933. It was only the second month of Hitler's rule. Within a year of this decree, all the religious organizations of the Witnesses in the Third Reich were banned. Compare (I quote from the same article): "... under the guise of studying the doctrine and performing religious rituals, encroached on the rights of citizens, urging them to abandon public activity, from their political rights, and also prompted them to refuse to fulfill civil obligations imposed by the Constitution of the USSR and other Soviet laws." This is 1984 (I miss Stalin's time and Khrushchev's persecution of religion for obvious reasons). Such a stormy reaction to test provocation is a sure sign of the infection of the political regime. What kind of infection has our state now picked up? The question is not why our Ministry of Justice has never been distinguished by strong political health, but only about why it is right now that it is straight so covered? Here comes this to the Supreme Court and says: "And forbid me to here a whole religion! And, by the way, then later, when you forbid, take away all the property from her. " The court is not used to deny the Ministry of Justice. But it's one thing - when something is more correct to understand what is legally required, and another - when the respected client, and suddenly ... In general, yes, this is the most: "The doctor is going-going ..." He must be in time! The court is wasting time. This is the stage that we see now. The court is not enthusiastic about the prospect of letting the Russian state jump on the same hummocks that even the much more serious regimes of Hitler and Stalin did not pass. Unlike the Justice Ministry, the court does not associate particularly close ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. This is for the ROC, Jehovah's Witnesses - a strong competitor: 170,000 "witnesses" - comparable to the number of active parishioners of the ROC, that is, only ten times less. But the ROC would not be able to inspire the state persecution of "witnesses", if officials did not decide that "witnesses" to all strangers and everyone are disgusted. It turned out that "witnesses" were strangers, yes, but only in the religious sense. And humanly, no. The current braking of the court is, I think, the result is not so much the expected protests of human rights defenders, as the unexpected protests of Christians and some of the Muslims. Religious people realized that an attack on "witnesses" is an attempt to breach the legislation on freedom of conscience to further reformat it under the ROC as state religion. Obviously, this will not only concern religious people. "Witnesses" have not phoned our apartments for a long time already. But do we need calls instead of them at the door from the people's squad of the local deanery of the ROC?

FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS (c. 37-100 C.E.) This Jewish priest and historian states that Annas, a Jewish high priest who continued to wield political influence, “convened the judges of the Sanhedrin [the Jewish high court] and brought before them a man named James, the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ.”—Jewish Antiquities, XX, 200.

I think this statement by the United Nations reported by several news outlets is VERY interesting : "“If the Supreme Court rules in favour of the authorities, it will be the first such ruling by a court declaring a registered centralized religious organization to be ‘extremist,’” the UN human rights’ high commissioner's office said in a statement on Tuesday. Notice not just in Russia but on this PLANET !!! This is a great talking point in service, I have started a few Bible studies just recently just because people have noticed the TRUTH.

Thanks it saves me a lot of time and writing if I just post these links so the friends can see them for themselves.

Local Jehovah's Witnesses Defend Brothers, Sisters In Russia CapeNews.net - ‎Apr 7, 2017‎ “It is my understanding that the laws of the Russian government guarantee freedom of religion to all citizens. Jehovah's Witnesses strive to be good citizens,” Mariah's letter states. It continues and asks that the official consider God's word before ... Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia v. in the US Religion News Service - ‎Apr 7, 2017‎ The Jehovah's Witnesses have been on trial in St. Petersburg this week for violating a Russian law against extremism. The alleged extremism includes refusing blood transfusions, publishing pamphlets critical Russian Orthodox Church, and undermining ... Russia Supreme Court considers ban on Jehovah's Witnesses Fox News - ‎Apr 6, 2017‎ MOSCOW – State news agency RIA Novosti says Russia's Supreme Court has upheld the decision of the city court in Birobidzhan to ban the Jehovah's Witnesses, a decision that comes amid proceedings on a Justice Ministry suit to ban the religious ... Russia: Jehovah's Witnesses Break Law by Refusing Blood Transfusions Newsweek - ‎Apr 6, 2017‎ Jehovah's Witnesses break the law forbidding “extremism” when its members refuse blood transfusions, Russia's Justice Ministry said Thursday at a Supreme Court hearing on the question of banning the religious group in the country. The ministry added ... Russia Moves To Label Jehovah's Witnesses As 'Extremists' Huffington Post - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ The Justice Ministry in Moscow has been investigating the Jehovah's Witnesses' Russian headquarters near St. Petersburg over the last year and claimed it discovered violations of a Russian law banning extremism. The ministry accused the organization of ... Russian Supreme Court Considers Outlawing Jehovah's Witness Worship TIME - ‎Apr 4, 2017‎ The Russian Supreme Court could declare the Jehovah's Witnesses an extremist organization in a Wednesday hearing, a move that would lead to the seizure of the church's headquarters near St. Petersburg and the outlawing of the group's organized ... Russia Moves to Ban Jehovah's Witnesses as 'Extremist' New York Times - ‎Apr 4, 2017‎ The Justice Ministry, in a preliminary adminstrative strike last month, put the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, an office complex near St. Petersburg, on a list of the bodies banned “in connection with the carrying out of extremist ... Russian court mulls Jehovah's Witnesses ban Fox News - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ Russia's Supreme Court began a hearing Wednesday to potentially ban the Jehovah's Witnesses and declare the group an extremist organization in the country. The Russian government filed a lawsuit on March 16 to outlaw the Christian-based movement. Proceedings on Ban on Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia Enters Day 3 World Religion News - ‎Apr 7, 2017‎ Crowd forms outside of Russian Supreme Court in Moscow. The court is considering a claim from the Ministry of Justice to liquidate the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Courtesy of Jehovah's Witnesses. Russia's Supreme Court to consider Jehovah's Witnesses ban Atlanta Journal Constitution - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ According to a New York Times report, the religious group is viewed by the Russian government as deviating too far from traditional norms that President Vladimir Putin has promoted. Jehovah's Witnesses do not vote or otherwise participate in politics ... Russia court considers Jehovah's Witnesses ban BBC News - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ Russia's Supreme Court has begun hearing a government request to outlaw the Jehovah's Witnesses and declare it an extremist organisation. The justice ministry has already placed its headquarters near St Petersburg on a list of extremist groups. Russia Continues Proceedings on Jehovah's Witnesses in Supreme Court Thursday World Religion News - ‎Apr 6, 2017‎ Latest decision on Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia is yet another blow to the religious organization. Russia's news agency is reporting the city court of Birobidzhan's decision to ban Jehovah's Witnesses will be upheld. A Justice Ministry suit is working ... Spokane-area Jehovah's Witnesses wait anxiously for Russian court ruling The Spokesman-Review - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ Russia's Justice Ministry filed a case with the Supreme Court to declare the administrative center for Russia's Jehovah's Witnesses an extremist organization on March 15. The court reviewed the case for about seven hours Wednesday before announcing a ... US: Russia's Ban of Jehovah's Witnesses as 'Extremist' Shows that Moscow Views All Independent Religions as a Threat Newsweek - ‎Apr 4, 2017‎ The Russian justice ministry's call for the country's Jehovah's Witnesses headquarters to be shut down represents an attempt to “eliminate the legal existence” of the religion, said the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Russian Government Seeks to Ban Jehovah's Witnesses Voice of America - ‎Apr 3, 2017‎ Several U.S. legislators have criticized the Russian government for plans to effectively ban the Jehovah's Witnesses, a nontraditional Christian movement, as an "extremist" organization. On March 15, Russia's Justice Ministry filed a claim with the ... Russia launches court bid to ban Jehovah's Witnesses over 'extremism' Evening Standard - ‎Apr 6, 2017‎ Russia's government has launched a Supreme Court bid to outlaw Jehovah's Witnesses and have the movement declared an extremist organisation. The Christian-based faith group's headquarters, near St Petersburg, has already been added to a list of ... Jehovah's Witnesses Face Russian Ban Transitions Online - ‎Apr 7, 2017‎ Jehovah's Witnesses are breaking the law against extremism when they refuse blood transfusions, a Russian Justice Ministry official said yesterday as the Supreme Court heard arguments that could see the religious group banned. The court began hearings ... Russia top court hears bid to outlaw Jehovah's Witnesses JURIST - ‎Apr 7, 2017‎ [JURIST] The Russian Supreme Court [official website, in Russian] began hearings on Wednesday on a request [RAPSI report] to outlaw the Jehovah's Witnesses religious group. The Russian Ministry of Justice [official website, in Russian] has named the ... RUSSIA: Russia Suspends Jehovah's Witnesses United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (press release) - ‎Apr 4, 2017‎ Washington, D.C. – Russia's Justice Ministry suspended the Jehovah's Witnesses on March 24, alleging that its activities “violate Russia's laws on combating extremism.” The Russian authorities have used their extremism law to systematically harass the ... Jehovah Witnesses here worried over Russian court ruling Barbados Today - ‎Apr 6, 2017‎ Members of the Jehovah's Witnesses faith here have expressed concern about the plight of fellow Witnesses in Russia, which is seeking to ban the religious organization altogether. Russia's Supreme Court Thursday upheld the decision of a Russian city to ... Russian court considers ban on Jehovah's Witnesses SBS - ‎Apr 6, 2017‎ Russia's Supreme Court has rejected a counter claim filed by Jehovah's Witnesses who are challenging a Justice Ministry order to cease operating in the country. The religious organisation had asked the court to declare the government's actions unlawful ... Russia's high court considers banning Jehovah's Witnesses UPI.com - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ April 5 (UPI) -- Russia's Supreme Court on Wednesday considered a request by the government to ban Jehovah's Witnesses and declare the Christian group an extremist organization. On March 16, the Russian government filed suit to outlaw the organization ... Russia may ban Jehovah's Witnesses Catholic Culture - ‎Apr 6, 2017‎ “The Russian government is claiming that the Jehovah's Witnesses are an extremist group, but in fact it's their move to ban them outright that appears to be extreme,” said Maina Kiai, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of ... Russia Jehovah's Witnesses Could Be Labeled Extremist, Worship Banned Newsmax - ‎Apr 4, 2017‎ Russia's Supreme Court may declare Jehovah's Witnesses an extremist organization at a hearing Wednesday, which means the Jehovah's Witnesses headquarters would be seized and their organized worship banned in the country. "If the Supreme Court ... UN experts voice concern over possible ban on Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia TASS - ‎Apr 4, 2017‎ GENEVA, April 4. /TASS/. A total of three rapporteurs of the UN on human rights have said the moves taken by the Russian authorities to declare the Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center in Russia an extremist organization are "extremely worrying ... RUSSIA: Police harassment as Supreme Court considers ban Forum 18 - ‎Apr 7, 2017‎ Russia's Supreme Court is due to resume considering a total ban on Jehovah's Witness activity on 12 April. Already police in several towns have disrupted their worship. A Moscow community's rental of a hall to mark their main annual commemoration was ... High-Profile Case Against Jehovah's Witnesses Started Today in Russia's Supreme Court World Religion News - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ On March 24, 2017, Russia's Ministry of Justice suspended Jehovah's Witnesses with the allegation that their religious activities are in violation of Russian law and fighting extremism. The Russian government, under the authority of their extremism law ... Russian court turns down Jehovah's Witnesses' bid for 'victim of repression' status TASS - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ Earlier in the day, the Russian Supreme Court began hearings on the Justice Ministry's appeal to ban the activities of the Jehovah's Witnesses Managerial Center in Russia as extremist. Jehovah's Witnesses filed a counterclaim demanding to recognize the ... Russia Moves To Ban Jehovah's Witnesses 360Nobs.com - ‎Apr 6, 2017‎ The Supreme Court in Russia has begun hearing a government request to ban the Jehovah's Witnesses and declare it an extremist organisation. BBC reports that the justice ministry has already placed its headquarters near St Petersburg on a list of ... Russia's Supreme Court Begins High-Profile Case Against Jehovah's Witnesses PR Newswire (press release) - ‎Apr 5, 2017‎ NEW YORK, April 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation began consideration of a claim from the Ministry of Justice to liquidate the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The Court announced a ...

91,2 FM Moscow regions NewsBlogsTopsPollsRatingsDoc Now PlayingOne -All air QQAAV/0Y Moscow Echo your phone iPhone-App Mobile version of the site Prohibit Do "Jehovah's Witnesses"? ONLINE: J 32718 people voted. Back to voting 123 YES 15% 4804 people. NO 83% of 27017 people. Difficult to answer 3% 897 people. INTERESTING POLL IN RUSSIA - APPARENTLY VAST MAJORITY OF RUSSIAN PEOPLE BELIEVE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES SHOULD NOT BE BANNED !!!

Russian Government Seeks To Ban Jehovah’s Witnesses – Experts Call Government Action Absurd Posted on April 8, 2017 by Staff Writer in Europe, Human Rights, International News, Spotlight // 1 Comment Russian Government Claims JW.ORG Publication Promote Hate & Violence The Russian Government has decided to take on the God Jehovah and has launched a bid to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia. The Government has been engaged in a three-day legal battle with the Russian branch of Jehovah’s Witnesses claiming that the group engages and promote extremist activities in the country. Russia’s Ministry of Justice says it is seeking “to declare the religious organization, the Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses, extremist, ban its activity, and liquidate it.” Russian Government Claims JW.ORG Publication Promote Hate & Violence Mark Sanderson, who is a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses and present at the hearing, stated: “It is disconcerting that the Supreme Court dismissed or denied most motions filed by the Administrative Center.” “Representatives of many embassies and human rights organizations were present for this hearing. The world is watching.” Many have condemned the Russian Government’s moves to ban the organisation. Heiner Bielefeldt, Former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, said: “If Jehovah’s Witnesses are extremist, I think we all are.” View image on Twitter Sociologist and Former Representative of the OSCE on Combating Racism, Xenophobia, Discrimination Dr. Massimo Introvigne commented: “The only relationship between Jehovah’s Witnesses and violence is that they have been victims of violence.” Rachel Denber Deputy Director of European Human Rights Watch has said that there is no legitimate grounds to say that the literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses is extremism, she also stated that it is absurd to say the organistation is spreading hate or encouraging violence. In response to the threat of the ban and legal action over 8,000,000 Witnesses worldwide participated in a letter writing campaign appealing directly to the Kremlin and Supreme Court officials for relief. “The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses wants to heighten attention to this critical situation,” states David A. Semonian, a spokesman at the Witnesses’ world headquarters. “Prosecuting non-violent, law-abiding citizens as if they were terrorists is clearly a misapplication of anti-extremist laws. Such prosecution is based on completely false grounds.” There are more than 170,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia and have over 2,300 congregations.

THERE IS NO NEED TO WORRY WHEN WE SEE NEWS REPORTS THAT MAY DISTURB US AT THIS TIME ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. PLEASE SEE THE HEADING "EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED" FOR COMFORT FROM THE SCRIPTURES. THANK YOU.

ALL OF US SHOULD PRAYERFULLY CONTEMPLATE WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE SUCH AS WITH OUR BROTHERS IN RUSSIA. THE FACT IS JEHOVAH IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF MATTERS AND NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IT WILL BE "IN STYLE" TO HIS GLORY. HERE IS THE TALK BY BR. JACKSON OF THE GOVERNING BODY THAT IS MOST FITTING AT THIS TIME TO REVIEW: Expect the Unexpected Bro. Jeffrey Jackson, 2016 Annual Meeting I'm sure everyone of us here today will agree that this year's regional convention program was absolutely fantastic! And probably one of the most common comments that have been made is that many brothers and sisters have said this convention has truly prepared us for the great tribulation and we certainly feel that way. But as our minds think about the great tribulation and the importance of Jesus words, it's true at times that our imagination perhaps become very active, we have maybe have questions: how long will be the great tribulation? How will it affect me personally? Will I be able to get my medication? What about my cat? Well the short answer to all those intriguing questions is: we don't know. But there is something that we do know beyond any doubt whatsoever, let's turn to the book of 2 Peter 2:9 and this fact fills us with confidence as we look to the future to the outbreak of the great tribulation. So 2 Peter 2:9, there it tells us: So, then, Jehovah knows how to rescue people of godly devotion out of trial... Yes, brothers and sisters, we know Jehovah! We know his record! We've studied the scriptures! And we totally believe that no matter what happens, even though we don't know the details of what the future holds, we believe that Jehovah knows how to rescue righteous persons. And we've seen time and time again how Jehovah does the unexpected. When we look through the scriptures, that point is emphasized over and over again. There are two scriptures that help to fortify this faith and belief that we have. Let's look at them together. The first one is found in the book of Eph 3:20. Here the apostle Paul under inspiration tells us: "Now to the one who can, according to his power that is operating in us, do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive." Now this is a fantastic expression! In the writing department if we were to write this, I'm sure the proofreaders would correct it, but this is under inspiration. First start let's think of the word "superabundantly." The proofreaders may tell us for a start, abundant is enough but here we have superabundantly and it doesn't stop there does it? Because Paul then says under inspiration more than superabundantly. And it's gets even better: beyond all the things we ask or conceive! This is certainly making a point, isn't it? What is the point? That Jehovah can do things beyond what we would expect! It's so interesting for us to note that Jehovah does not limit himself to what we ask for in our prayers! And we could be happy of that because he goes beyond anything that we could ever think of to solve our problems. So it's true at times we may see no way out of our problems, we may feel overwhelmed, but remember what does it say here? Jehovah has the power to do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive. Now the second scripture is in the book of Philippians 4:6. Here again we are told: "Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God that (now notice again) surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus." 2 Have you noticed in several of the talks today, the point is being made over and over again that this precious possession that we have is our relationship with Jehovah. We need to trust him. Now when the peace of God comes to us because of praying to Jehovah and trusting him, what does it say here? Then that surpasses all understanding. Other translations put it this way: surpasses all our dreams, excels all human planning, is more wonderful than we could imagine. Truly, brothers and sisters, we don't need to know all the details of what the future holds. We know that our loving God Jehovah will do things in a wonderful way. Yes, he does the unexpected and he does it with style! That's the amazing thing! As we read through the scriptures we see his over and over again. Let's think about Haman back in the days of Esther and Mordecai. Haman had a lot of money, a lot of influence and a plan. He wanted to commit genocide to destroy all of God's people and it looked like the plan was going to succeed, but Haman didn't know what Jehovah had in mind. Esther, Mordecai were in place and how things turned out. The very day that the Jews should have been slaughtered and completely eradicated was the day that their enemies were killed instead. But as we read through those events, Jehovah did so many unexpected things. Personally I just love chapter 6. Right in the middle of this intrigue, where we see what Jehovah is preparing, then there is an account about the King not being able to sleep. Isn't it wonderful, you see Haman comes in at the wrong time for Ha'man he assumes wrongly that the King is going to bless him and what's the result? He has to be humiliated, walking around in front of Mordecai on a horse wearing the Kings clothes. That's style. Jehovah didn't have to do that, but when we look back on it, that really is style isn't it? And we can be sure that Jehovah will continue to do these things for his people. Recently of course we just watched that beautiful presentation with regard to Hezekiah. Didn't that full length movie help us to imagine exactly what happened at that time. But in the case of Hezekiah, what did he do in the time leading up to that event? Well he fortified the city, he stopped up the wells so the Assyrians wouldn't be able to get water, he did all sorts of things to plan and yet, none of that was needed. Why he didn't realize what Jehovah was going to do, the unexpected! We didn't even expect it when we saw that angel in the movie, did we? What a wonderful presentation it was, but you see Jehovah again did the unexpected. None of his people were thinking that Jehovah would do that and yet he had the situation under control. And of course time and time again as we look through the scriptures, we see this empathized. Moses and the Israelites. If we were standing with them there on the shores of the Dead Sea with the Egyptians coming behind us, who of us would have ever guessed that Jehovah is now going to part the Red Sea? I mean that was unexpected! It was also unexpected that the Egyptians would be so stupid to follow the Israelites! And yet it resulted in a wonderful victory for Jehovah's people. You see, expect the unexpected when it comes to what Jehovah does. Now thinking back to what the apostle Paul was inspired to say to the brothers in Philippi, let's think about the setting of when he wrote that and a little bit of the background. The apostle Paul said basically 'Don't worry, pray' because Jehovah can do the unexpected. Well was Paul perhaps writing at that particular time as an academic sitting behind a desk, someone who is testing out something he doesn't really know about? Of course not, we remember back at that time in 60 to 61 c.e. the apostle Paul was in prison in Rome. He'd already experienced many, many different hardships. He knew what it was like to be in a time of trial, but even the very fact that he was writing to the brothers in Philippi is of 3 interest. Let's just refresh our memories about this, you see the record in Acts 16, but what actually happened ten years before Paul wrote the letter to the brothers in Philippi? Well Paul was in Asia Minor he was going, trying to find somewhere where the Holy Spirit would allow him to preach. So he went to one location, no, went to another location, no, eventually he arrives at Troas and there one evening he sees a Macedonian man. And what does he say? "Step over to Macedonia." Well Paul naturally assumed this was Jehovah's direction and immediately he made plans to step over into Macedonia and this actually started the preaching work in Europe. Well he arrived first at the seaport of Neapolis and then made his way to Philippi. Well immediately there was some success. Some started to accept the message, but what happened shortly thereafter? Well as we already mentioned today, the account tells us that Paul and Silas were beaten up and thrown into a dungeon, into a prison. Now if you were Paul and you were sitting there in prison with your back paining, singing songs to bring yourself comfort, perhaps would you think this: 'What is Jehovah doing? I mean I was in Asia Minor, I could have preached anywhere in Asia Minor, but no, the vision said step over into Macedonia, now I'm assuming there's a big door of activity opening, but now here I am in prison. Why did Jehovah direct me to come here?' Honestly, I think most of us would probably start thinking along that line and perhaps be discouraged. Perhaps at times you felt you followed Jehovah's direction and then you've had problems, so we're use to understanding that situation, but what happened that very night? An earthquake! The doors of the prison open up, the jailer and his family accept the truth and then this is where it proves again Jehovah has style! Those magistrates apologize to Paul, Paul says 'no you take us out and you escort us out of the city!' Now that's style! And as we read, what do we notice? I imagine this in my mind it says Paul said goodbye to Lydia and I imagine, maybe I'm wrong, but I'm imagining the magistrates standing outside Lydia's home waiting for Paul to say goodbye and then continue to escort them out of the city. Now not only is that style, but it was practical because it appears that perhaps Luke the doctor was left to stay there in Philippi and establish the congregation and no doubt those magistrates would have thought twice before they did anything bad to the Christians after that. But what's the point? At times we may feel that there's no way out of our problems, but surely the lesson that we learn over and over and over again is that Jehovah can turns things completely around. Yes even though we might speculate and think, what if maybe he'll do this, in the end when we look back on events, we can't help but be impressed with how Jehovah handles things. He has everything under control. So that brings us back to the Regional Convention, the Sunday program. We all enjoyed that symposium of talks with the little videos dealing with the great tribulation. Maybe for most of us it took us awhile to work out what they were doing in the basement. Usually by the time there was a knock then we started to realize that it was at the time of the great tribulation. And with excitement we watched as that door opened and there the police, the military were facing our brothers and sisters and you were waiting, will the angel come and take them out? Will fire come from heaven? And we were left hanging, why? The simple answer, we don't know, but one thing is for sure, if Jehovah is on our side, we do not need to fear men. Yes it's true, we don't know all the details of the great tribulation. We don't know exactly what's going to happen in the future, but we do know that our loving Heavenly Father Jehovah God has everything under control! Yes he has style so we can expect the unexpected!

Sympathetic press coverage for Jehovah's Witnesses JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES DESCRIBE FOR COURT BASELESSNESS OF ACCUSATIONS OF CRIMES Kavkazskii Uzel, 7 April 2017 In 26 years of official activity in Russia of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, no harm from their activity has been proven, the head of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, Vasily Kalin, declared in the Supreme Court. His deputy, Sergei Cherepanov, pointed out that only in Russia are Jehovah's Witnesses prosecuted for extremism, although in the world around 20 million persons attend their worship services. As Kavkazskii Uzel had written, the lawsuit of the Ministry of Justice for banning the activity of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia has been under consideration by the Supreme Court from 5 April. Lawyers for the defendant called the attempt to ban their activity political repressions, although the court did not agree with this assessment. At the beginning of the session today the court wondered how, in importing its materials into Russia, the organization could know beforehand that they will be ruled to be extremist. After that, publications of materials of the Jehovah's Witnesses, with dates of their being ruled extremist, were added to the case. Then the court was addressed by the chairman of the Governing Body of the Administrative Center, Vasily Kalin. He declared that in 26 years, the center has not been held accountable for extremism. "If all these years we were good, then at what point did we become extremists?" Vasily Kalin declared. He said that if a ban occurs, it will cause substantial harm to believers and the persecution has already begun. However the position of Jehovah's Witnesses has not changed: to submit to the authorities, to pray for them, and always to adhere to the principles of loving peace, Kalin noted. The actions of the Ministry of Justice lead the struggle with extremism onto a false path, declared Sergei Cherepanov, Kalin's deputy, in his turn. He noted that in recent years 20 criminal cases were initiated against Jehovah's Witnesses on the "Extremism" article, but the majority ended with acquittals. Cherepanov emphasized that his organization has taken all possible measures for combating extremism. Prosecuting Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia means challenging all those countries where believers freely profess their faith, Cherepanov indicated, adding that in the world about 20 million persons attend Jehovah's Witnesses' worship services. The attorney Zhenkov, in his address, declared that contrary to the affirmation of the Ministry of Justice, there is no extremism among the goals and tasks of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization. "If in 100 years of unofficial and 26 years of official existence of the Jehovah's Witnesses, no harm from their activity has been proven, then what kind of harm is the Ministry of Justice referring to?" Zhenkov asked during his address in the trial. He also emphasized that literature that had been ruled to be extremist was never imported into Russia. Zhenkov called attention to the fact that cases connected with finding Jehovah's Witnesses' literature to be extremist have been appealed to the European Court for Human Rights. The lawyer pointed out that 22 appeals were joined into one proceeding and in response to a question from the Strasbourg court the Russian federation officially acknowledged that the literature of Jehovah's Witness does not contain open calls for violence, according to reporting from the courtroom that is posted on the website "Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia." We recall that the Russian Ministry of Justice also requested to confiscate the property of the religious organization, while acknowledging that it does not possess information about violations of laws that had been committed under the influence of Jehovah's Witnesses' literature. Local religious organizations in the Southern Federal District and North Caucasus Federal District have frequently been fined for using literature that later was entered into the Federal List of Extremist Materials. Also several local organizations have been liquidated, including those in Taganrog, Abinsk, Cherkessk, and Elista. "They take every instance when we say that our faith is correct, and they get extremism out of it," a representative of the head Russian office, Yaroslav Sivulsky, commented on these precedents earlier for Kavkazskii Uzel. Prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia has reached an unprecedented scale, declared Russian rights advocates. (tr. by PDS, posted 8 April 2017)

FROM TASS: Jehovah's Witnesses' claim of exceptionalism alleged to threaten public order AFTER BAN OF THE ORGANIZATION JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES MAY BE BROUGHT TO TRIAL FOR EXTREMISM Ministry declares that they posses instances of distribution of literature containing assertions posing a threat to public order TASS, 6 April 2017 Jehovah's Witnesses violate the law "On combating extremism," by promoting the idea of their own exceptional nature and superiority over other religions, and they may be prosecuted on the basis of the criminal article regarding extremism in the event of the ban of the organization. This was declared by a lawyer of the Russian Ministry of justice in a session of the Russian Supreme Court. "We have incidents of the distribution of literature containing assertions about the exceptional nature of Jehovah's Witnesses, which poses a threat to public order," a lawyer of the justice ministry reported in court. The court posed for the justice ministry's lawyer a number of questions, including about the prospects of criminal prosecution of members of the Jehovah's Witnesses in the event of the liquidation of the organization. "We suggest that a ban on the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses does not violate the rights of citizens, but in the event of the adoption of such a decision, law enforcement agencies will be able to initiate cases on the basis of article 282.2 ("Arranging the activity of an extremist organization") of the Criminal Code of the Russian federation, the justice ministry's lawyer said. Ministry of Justice's lawsuit In its lawsuit, the Ministry of Justice indicates the discovery during an unscheduled inspection of various violations during the conduct of the activity of the organization, including of the federal law "On combating extremist activity." The ministry asks for finding the organization and 395 of its divisions to be extremist, to ban its activity, and to confiscate property. In its turn, the press service of the organization described for TASS how "they regard this fact as extremely alarming," inasmuch as the decision may affect "175 thousand actively practicing believers." A representative of the press service, Ivan Bilenko, also noted that the organization is prepared to defend its rights in all judicial instances. On 12 October 2016, the Tver court of Moscow issued a warning to the Jehovah's Witnesses about extremist activity. According to Russian legislation, if in the period of time established by the warning to religious associations the violations being committed are not removed or new incidents appear testifying to the presence of indicators of extremism, then the organization is liable for liquidation. On 16 January 2017, the Moscow city court ruled the warning to the organization about extremist activity to be legal. Jehovah's Witnesses are an international religious organization that holds to unorthodox currents in Christianity and is distinguished by peculiar interpretations of many religious concepts. (tr. by PDS, posted 8 April 2017)

Thank you

Threat of international tension over Jehovah's Witnesses case NOW TRUMP MAY BE ANGERED BY "PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS" IN RUSSIA Izvestiia, 7 April 2017 If the Russian response to the missile attack of the USA in Syria becomes a military-political game on steroids, then the subterfuge of the new confrontation inevitably will touch the topic of so-called "spiritual security" that is sensitive for our country. Passions have been inflamed over the lawsuit of the Russian Ministry of Justice for the liquidation of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses. In response, the movement rolled out a worldwide campaign #stopjwban, an appeal to put pressure on Russia so that the authorities would abandon their claim on the religious organization, known for their active evangelism. Year after year the Jehovah's Witnesses consistently wind up in reports of the USA State Department about recognition of freedom of conscience in various countries. Sometimes these charges bypass the ears, but in moments of international tension they are recalled. Our average persons consider Jehovists an "alien sect," in opposition to the traditional—Orthodox—Christianity. But the representatives of the movement themselves stress that the attacks are directly against a movement that spreads biblical teaching. The recent seizure of a batch of Bibles, which "did not correspond" with the synodal edition, was bad for Russia's reputation. Almost all protestant denominations in Russia came to the defense of Sacred Scripture in the JW translation. In the USA, with its tradition of free diversity of religious currents, any action against people who declare themselves to be preachers of evangelical teaching is taken as "persecution of Christians." Donald Trump, who is now turning Reagan-style emotions into grand policy, may use the conflicts in the religious sphere for pressure on Russia. The bad memory of the expression "evil empire" has returned, to the amazement of Russian Christians and in spite of the rhetoric of the religious renaissance. It may be a dangerous trend to roll out the reaction in the area of ensuring "spiritual security," if it is now that other religious currents, beside Jehovah's Witnesses, that have American origins and ecclesiastical centers in the West, fall under the blow of justice. In addition, there may be dangerous consequences in the propaganda campaign that is now developing around the fate of various persons suspected of committing recent terrorist acts in Russian cities. Media resources, several of which are located in Turkey, methodically speak of "persecution of Christians," while the main story is the dismissal from work and refusal to board on an airplane of Andrei Nikitin, who originally was suspected of committing a terrorist act in the St. Petersburg subway. The Muslim topic may be used for justifying a break of allied relations with Turkey, which now hang by a thread. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 April 2017)

Report: Supreme Court to hear the case to ban the Jehovah's Witnesses religion April 5, 2017 began hearings on the suit on the Elimination of Jehovah's Witnesses before the Supreme Court of Russia. It conducted a text report from the courtroom. 5th of April April 6 April 7 5th of April 10:58 Big beautiful courtroom crowded. There are more than 200 people, including many journalists, representatives of public organizations and foreign embassies. The hearing began at 10:30. A little less than 250 people were left on the street waiting for the results of the hearing. Cook Street in Moscow is filled with cars with transmitting television antennas. Occurring remove numerous chamber. Of police radios periodically hear the message "All is calm, without incident." In the hall representatives of embassies and international organizations in the headphones listening to the process of translation. The case was heard Judge Yuri Ivanenko. The defendant, "the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" are 6 persons, including Vasily Kalin of the Steering Committee, as well as lawyers. The representative of Ministry of Justice of Russia - Svetlana Borisova. Attached to the case with the defendant's objections to the applications in 35 volumes. The court allowed the photographing and video recording only when the announcement of the final act. However, there is no record of obstacles. In the hall there are about 40 members of the media, they occupy the first rows of the audience. 11:00 The court refused to accept a counter claim for recognition of the Ministry of Justice acts of political repression. The judge described the passage of objections to the claim sufficient measure of protection for the defendant. 11:15 Representatives of Jehovah's Witnesses apply for admission to participation in the case of representatives of all 395 local religious organizations. Lawyer little wife: "If believers throughout Russia will be deprived of their rights, let them hear it here in court." Local religious organizations, contrary to the logic of the Ministry of Justice, are not the structural units of each other, but separate legal entities. 11:20 The lawyer Lew gives an example: "The logic of the Ministry of Justice, it turns out, it is necessary to impose a sentence: Shoot chieftain. And his whole platoon. " 11:25 The court rejected the enlistment of the 395 local organizations as a respondent. 11:30 Jehovah's Witnesses have asked the court to allow audio broadcasting the trial. The court refused. 11:35 Lawyers for the Jehovah's Witnesses are asking the court to adjourn the hearing pending the outcome of another case in another court. It is an appeal to the Court of Justice order the suspension of the activities of organizations . 11:42 The Ministry of Justice objected, because it believes that the authorities had every right to suspend the activities of organizations. 11:45 The court refused to postpone the hearing. 11:50 Omelchenko lawyer seeks the abandonment of the claim without consideration of the Ministry of Justice. The plaintiff is not complied with the pre-trial procedure for settling claims to the 395 communities of Jehovah's Witnesses. Before you make a claim for the liquidation of 395 local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, the authorities, by law, had to make an official warning each of them and to give time to correct them. 11:55 The second reason for the abandonment without consideration of this claim lies in the fact that the Russian courts have treated similar cases of liquidation and recognition of the "extremist" 2 out of 395 local Jehovah's Witnesses organizations (Karachay-Cherkessia and the Samara region). 12:05 The Court dismissed the petition on the abandonment without consideration. 12:10 Representatives of Jehovah's Witnesses are asked to postpone the hearing for one week due to the fact that the Ministry of Justice sent a statement of claim to the defendant in time. It came in the mail only to March 28, 2017. In addition, the Ministry of Justice to provide the defendant not all documents specified in the annexes to the statement of claim. 12:17 The Ministry of Justice does not object to the adjournment of the case. 12:19 The court refused to postpone the case. 12:20 Lawyer little wife seeks the suspension of the case due to the fact that in a number of Russian vessels submitted applications for consideration in force decisions of the courts on newly discovered evidence. We are talking about the revision in force of affairs on the Elimination of 8 local religious organizations (MPO) and the introduction of 88 publications of Jehovah's Witnesses in FSEM. The fact that all those court decisions were made without the involvement of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, since the Ministry of Justice insisted that the court decisions in relation to the LRO not affect the rights of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. In the present case the Ministry of Justice changed position and now all accusations against MPO, imputed to the Administrative Center. 12:30 The Ministry of Justice objected to the suspension, considering that, in cases involving MPO attended the same lawyers as in the case of liquidation of the MPO. 12:33 The court retired to the deliberation room. 13:50 The Court went out of the deliberation room. The suspension of the case was denied. 13:55 Little wife's lawyer said the petition to bring to participate in the case of experts, namely the religious scholars and linguists. Specialists may clarify whether are really extremist and dangerous texts that form the basis of the requirements of the Ministry of Justice to ban an entire religion in Russia. 14:00 Asked by the judge whether to propose lawyers to arrange a "revision" of court decisions, which was included in the literature FSEM lawyers explained that this information will be important to determine the proportionality of the Ministry of Justice requirements. 14:04 The representative of the Ministry of Justice objected to the admission of experts for the hearing. 14:05 The court refused to attract specialists to the hearing. 14:06 The lawyer asks little wife get to take part in the 9 foreign legal persons representing the religious communities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Europe and America. The reason is that the Ministry of Justice in its lawsuit asks the court to confiscate properties belonging to these organizations. 14:14 The court refused to attract foreign companies to participate in the case. 14:15 Omelchenko said the lawyer about bringing a motion to participate in the proceedings as interested parties of eight Russian citizens who were rehabilitated as victims of political repression. These people present in the room. Lawyers argue convincingly that these people rehabilitated from the turn in the case of satisfaction of the claim to the "extremists". 14:20 The Ministry of Justice said that the court decides on the liquidation of legal entities, it does not apply to individuals. In his reply the lawyer reminded the little wife that such considerations were guided by Soviet authorities, banning the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, however, repression of painful blow it for the people, so that they have been rehabilitated. 14:25 Court denies the petition. 14:30 Lawyers apply for the interrogation of individual citizens, followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses who can testify about what measures have been taken by Jehovah's Witnesses in order to prevent extremist activity. 14:35 The Ministry of Justice does not object. The court granted. 14:40 Lawyers say the request for interrogation as witnesses of persons recognized as victims of political repression. The Ministry of Justice objected. Court refuses. 14:43 Representative of Jehovah's Witnesses Nowak said petition for interrogation as witnesses of persons who witnessed falsification of evidence against those who believe in things that the Ministry of Justice uses in his lawsuit as "further evidence of the offense." 14:45 On the judge's objection that it comes to an effective decision, Novak says that in the present case can not be used prejudicial approach, because it is a different legal entity. The court must examine the evidence directly. Novakov tells the court about the circumstances and tossed perjuredly indications in a number of Russian cities. 15:00 The Ministry of Justice objected, arguing that the questioning, they believe authorities, aims to "to review the decision to enter into force." The court refused to question witnesses of falsification of evidence against local Jehovah's Witnesses organizations. 15:05 Omelchenko lawyer intercedes for the recovery of craft books that were considered "extremist" and which formed the basis of this lawsuit to ban Jehovah's Witnesses religion. Counsel emphasizes that it is necessary to study the question of whether these statements are dangerous enough that on this basis significantly restrict the right of 300 thousand Russian citizens. He draws attention to the legal requirement that the restrictions must be justified and proportionate to the constitutionally significant goals. 15:15 Omelchenko provides examples of statements in the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses, because of which these publications were recognized as extremist. 15:16 Omelchenko says that the court must examine whether such dangerous statements in the literature indicated that they would justify the restriction of the rights of hundreds of thousands of citizens. 15:20 The Ministry of Justice objected. Court refuses to vindication of literature deemed extremist. 15:21 The right to submit petitions transferred to the administrative claimant. The representative of the Ministry of Justice requests that the matter several judicial acts that were not attached to the claim. Office without having them on hand, was quick to refer to them in his lawsuit. And only now, having received them, asking them to attach to the case. 15:25 The defendant objected. The Court deliberated on the site satisfies the request of the Justice Ministry. 15:28 The court adjourned until April 6, 2017 14:00. April 6 12:00 Weather in Moscow is warm and sunny. Near the entrance to the court formed a large human place. Working television journalists. Among those present a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. A marked increase in security measures. Directly at the entrance there is a bus with the police. At the input it is carried out a thorough inspection. Inside the building are not skipped any liquids. The employees of the Supreme Court, organizing hearings, doing their job professionally and smoothly. Despite the large number of students, there are no failures. 14:30 The hearing began with the defendants' application to suspend the hearing due to the fact that the private complaint filed yesterday's failure of the court to satisfy the majority of the 17 petitions declared. The hearing shall be suspended pending the outcome of these complaints. 14:33 The Ministry of Justice objected to the suspension of the proceedings. Court retire to the deliberation room. 14:37 Court rejects petition to suspend the hearing. Omelchenko lawyer seeks to adduce material, which may indicate the political persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses. We are talking about the documents of foreign organizations such as the UN, OSCE, official statements about human rights organizations, as well as archival documents. 14:40 The court decided to grant the application for the admission of these materials. Court reports are the case and gave the floor to the Ministry of Justice. 14:45 The representative of the Ministry of Justice Borisov proceeds to the presentation of the arguments justifying the prohibition of all the organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. It lists the court judgments delivered against local religious organizations (LRO) of Jehovah's Witnesses. 15:12 Concluding his speech, the representative of the Ministry of Justice asked the court to liquidate all Jehovah's Witnesses, to remove them from the register of legal entities and ban their activities. Asks confiscate the property and pay the court's decision to immediate execution (that is, not to wait for the decision enters into force). The judge sets the representative of the Ministry of Justice a counter-question: why is the Ministry of Justice asked both to eliminate legal person and to ban their activity. Judge perplexed: how can you prohibit something that does not exist. He specifies whether you want to prohibit the Ministry of Justice and all unregistered groups? The representative of the Ministry of Justice explained that the ban does not ask them, because Jehovah's Witnesses have not provided the agency information on unregistered groups. 15:16 New clarifying questions of the judge on what basis the Ministry of Justice applies prejudicial approach to the management center, if the center is not to involve in business. Prejudice is applicable in the case already in force decisions (ie the court relies upon them as already established fact) only in respect of the same legal subjects. Accordingly, the court decisions handed down in relation to MPO can not be prejudicial force for a centralized organization. 15:17 The representative of the Ministry of Justice argues that the Administrative Center knew about the court cases, and the center's lawyers were present at them. 15:20 The Ministry of Justice in its lawsuit claims the need to eliminate religious organizations due to the fact that organizations, in their opinion, violate the rights of citizens. The court sets a representative Borisova another clarifying question: what kind of citizens' rights are violated? Borisov said that it is entitled to receive medical treatment. According to them, the organization prevent citizens to get medical treatment. In response to the buzz in the room the judge asks those present to contain their emotions. 15:24 The judge asked whether the Ministry of Justice proof of their assertions about the medical treatment. The Ministry of Justice is not willing to provide them. Judge perplexed again, because the Ministry of Justice recently held a large-scale inspection of Jehovah's Witnesses and, if there were such facts, they should have been identified. 15:25 The judge asked the Ministry of Justice will explain their assertion that the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses is a threat to public safety. The Ministry of Justice said the threat of unspecified persons. 15:30 The judge asked the representative of the Ministry of Justice, if they are asked to ban Jehovah's Witnesses, will be whether the faithful gathered for prayer, under the threat of criminal prosecution. Ministry of Justice: Yes, if the court finds them guilty of violating Art. 282.2 UFPA. 15:34 The judge asked the representative of the Ministry of Justice on the Federal List of Extremist Materials (FSEM) Russian Ministry of Justice. Court interested in the question: whether the Justice Department is reviewing this list? The representative of the Ministry of Justice hesitant voice informs the court that sometimes this list may be revised. 15:39 Judge sends defendants the opportunity to ask questions of the Ministry of Justice. 15:40 Lawyer little wife primarily asks the court to refuse to accept a copy of the court decision, which a few days ago the Ministry of Justice presented to the court. The court described the case when some parents brought in the child patient hospital. Doctors diagnosed low hemoglobin and proposed drug therapy or blood transfusion. Parents preferred drugs, but the hospital went to court with a demand to provide it with a blank check for the use of donated blood. The decision also mentioned that there was no threat to life, it was about the planned treatment. The lawyer points out that the court decision does not mention any of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization. 15:50 The judge asked the representative of the Ministry of Justice if there is no mention of Jehovah's Witnesses, then what does this document is in the present case. 15:53 Judge defers ruling on the admission of this document. 15:54 Lawyer little wife starts asking questions to the representative of the Justice Ministry. The first question is whether the Ministry of Justice information about any whatsoever offenses which are committed under the influence of the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses entered in FSEM. Reply by the representative of the Ministry: "There is no such information, we do not have." 15:57 Lawyer little wife clarifies representative for the Ministry of Justice, whether the respondent correctly understands that the Ministry of Justice claims boil down to three points: 1) the import of extremist literature, 2) financing MPO 3) failure to take effective measures to prevent extremist activity. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that this is a correct understanding of, but here should be added to the "threat of violating human rights and civil rights." 16:00 Lawyers unsuccessfully trying to figure out what kind of human rights violations have in mind. Little wife is trying to clarify the point of "failure to take effective measures to prevent extremist activities." He asked whether the Ministry of Justice is known about the timely letters addressed to the center of Jehovah's Witnesses over the MPO, the inclusion of certain material in FSEM? Ministry of Justice is known. The next question is that, according to the ministry, it would be an effective measure? The Ministry of Justice does not know the exact answer to this question. The lawyer asked the representative of the Ministry of Justice, whether there is a criterion of extremist activity, inaction? Obvious to everyone that there is no such criterion. 16:10 Little wife asked whether the Ministry of Justice that materials deemed extremist known to comprise 0.1% of the Witnesses literature. Ministry of Justice is unknown. Did the Ministry of Justice, that the Rostov Regional Court, admitted the 34 publications of Jehovah's Witnesses extremist, at the same time refused to recognize the extremist dozens of others. 16:19 Little wife specifies whether the Ministry of Justice that the literature is not imported into Russia for two years know. Ministry of Justice is known. Then the question arises, why in 2017 the Ministry of Justice raised the issue of liquidation. The Ministry of Justice can not give evidence to support that in the last 12 months, the Administrative Center of spreading "extremist" literature. 16:13 The Ministry of Justice reports that FSEM not specify the date of making the materials in this list. 16:24 The judge asked the Ministry representative, whether it is possible to claim a religious organization, as well as customs, because the country imported materials that are recognized as extremist in the future? How to know in advance that a particular material will be included in FSEM. The representative of the Ministry of Justice: does only apply to FSEM. 16:30 The defendant's representative Yuri Toporov trying to figure out that the Justice Ministry is investing in the concept of "structural unit of the worldwide organization of Jehovah's Witnesses." What is a "global organization"? This is some kind of a legal entity? The Ministry of Justice believes that there is, we are talking about a canonical concept. What is a "structural unit"? We are talking about a legal concept? No, rather the canonical connection. Another question: in what sense the Ministry of Justice uses this term in relation to the MPO, saying they are "structural units of the Administrative Center"? In the canonical or legal? The representative of the Ministry of Justice considers that it is identical. 16:37 Axes, trying to figure out whether the law on extremism to be rendered "structural unit" without making the organization. The Ministry of Justice is forced to admit that the warning should be made throughout the organization. 16:40 Topo is a natural question: if the warning was issued by the local religious organization and is not issued Administrative Center, as then, this local organization may be "structural division" center? Nothing. 16:42 The Ministry of Justice is now considered that the imposition of preventing "structural unit" is not prohibited by law, which means that the prosecutor's office could do it. What is not forbidden is allowed. The judge specifies the ministry representative, sent there then at least some notice of a religious organization (Administrative Center)? There is no evidence that such notifications were sent. 16:46 Topo a new question to the Ministry of Justice. whether the law provides for the possibility of countering extremism to eliminate the "structural unit" without the liquidation of the organization? The representative of the Ministry of Justice, "According to your interpretation, does not provide." The judge asked the plaintiff to accept the answer of the Ministry in this form. 16:53 Questions Ministry of Justice sets lawyer Omelchenko. He asked whether the Ministry of Justice unit able to answer exactly when a certain book appeared in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. The Ministry of Justice believes that the answer to this question can be obtained by judicial request. 16:56 Omelchenko asks about federal Forensic Center at the Ministry of Justice of Russia. He notes that these centers come to diametrically opposite conclusions about the presence or absence of signs of extremism. Omelchenko question: how could this be possible. A ministry spokesman did not know. The next question is why the Ministry of Justice supported only negative conclusions of experts and does not maintain a positive? Unknown. Does the Ministry of Justice initiated a review of decisions in cases where there was such a contradiction? Representative of the facts are not known. 16:58 Omelchenko reminded that earlier today the Court asked the Ministry of Justice the question of whether the Ministry has initiated a revision of the list of extremist materials, after amendments were made to the law, for example, that the Bible and quotes from it can not be priznavaemy extremist materials. No such initiatives by the Ministry of Justice was not. 17:07 Questions to the representative of the Justice Ministry asks the respondent's representative Maksim Novakov. He's trying to figure out whether the known circumstances of the Ministry of Justice of the events that are imputed to the Jehovah's Witnesses as "extremist activities." For example, if they know what to search at the Jehovah's Witnesses security services are de-energized entire neighborhoods, where there are liturgical building. Ministry of Justice of the factual circumstances does not know. Other questions from the defendant to the Ministry of Justice no. 17:13 The court announces a break in the hearing until April 7, 2017 10:00. Entrance to the building will be open from 9:00 am. April 7 9:00 In Moscow, a soft drizzle of rain. Along the facade of the Supreme Court was stretched a long line of those who came to the process as listeners. At the courthouse at Cook Street parked a large bus full of obviously bored police officers. So loud process seems unordinary event for court employees. However, a surprising calm that, despite the obvious excitement retain hundreds of believers, better than any words convinced that extremism - it is not about them. 9:40 Great Hall of the Supreme Court gradually filled with students and journalists. 10:00 The process began with the questions of the court to a representative of the Ministry of Justice. Court seeks to deal with the fact that the plaintiff imputes Administrative Center blamed the episode from 2014, when, according to the Ministry, the Administrative Center has imported in the Russian publication, which will subsequently be recognized as extremist materials. Court interested in the question, how could a religious organization to know that the book will be recognized as extremist, if not FSEM. 10:10 Court seeks to understand at what rate law based Ministry of Justice, claiming that the local religious organization (MPO) are "structural units" of the Administrative Center. The Ministry of Justice considers that it is logical, because the organization read the same books, and linked. Court asks how it is in this case meets the requirements of legal certainty. Does this not violate the European Convention enshrined the right to freedom of religion? After all, it was denied in bringing 395 companies to participate in the case as a respondent. Questions remain without clear answers. 10:20 The judge asked the representative of the Ministry of Justice, on the basis of which they claim that the funding MPO Administrative Center is precisely the financing of "extremist activity"? What it is objectively proved? If anything, then what's the Ministry of Justice claims are based? 10:28 objections to the presentation of all proceeds to the defendants. But above all, the lawyer Omelchenko seeks to adduce statements from the Russian newspaper dates entry in FSEM of certain publications. Court attaches. 10:35 The first acts Vasily Kalin, Chairman of the Steering Committee of the "Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center in Russia." Legitimate whether today's efforts to ban the Witnesses? For 26 years, the center has not been brought to justice for extremism. "If we are all these years have been good, at which point we have extremists?" If the ban happens to be inflicted substantial harm, and persecution has already begun. People will be prosecuted only for a joint reading of the Bible, and we've been through. We already put on a par with organizations such as the Taliban, and other Aum Senriko. The position of Jehovah's Witnesses is unchanged: to obey the authorities, to pray for them. Always adhere to the principles of peace. 10:45 Kalin said the circumstances of the repression of religion in the Soviet Union, which he remembers himself. It shows the court a certificate rehabilitated victims of political repression. He asks what is now witness wants him and his co-religionists to give the Ministry of Justice? Actions of Justice reject the country in the past. 10:50 By the Deputy Kalina, Sergei Cherepanov. He explains what measures have been taken the center of Jehovah's Witnesses for the prevention of extremism. 10:57 Cherepanov mentions that the center of Jehovah's Witnesses in the list of the most dangerous organizations. He is not a lawyer, but he thinks that the actions of the Ministry of the fight against extremism gone down the wrong path. In recent years, 20 criminal cases under article Extremism were initiated against Jehovah's Witnesses. Although most of the cases ended in acquittals, the faithful rights were significantly violated and their lives are blighted. 11:05 Cherepanov mentions cases of fraud had been planted and which have been declared to law enforcement agencies, however, completely ignored by the police and other authorities. There is no doubt that Jehovah's Witnesses center has taken all possible measures to counter extremism. Deputy Attorney General, who a year ago signed a warning of Jehovah's Witnesses, refused to meet, which could clarify what further action the supervisor might expect from the Jehovah's Witnesses. 11:13 Fight against extremism in the civilized world. However, only in Russia is persecuted Jehovah's Witnesses, who worship in the world visited by about 20 million people. Pursue them in Russia means to challenge all those countries where Jehovah's Witnesses are free to profess their faith. At this Cherepanov finishes his speech and asked to adduce points of his speech. Full text explanations Cherepanov SB (PDF, 226 KB) 11:15 Speech Zhenkova lawyer. He convincingly argues that, contrary to the Ministry of Justice, among the goals and objectives of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses is not extremism. If 100 years and unofficially officially 26 years of existence of Jehovah's Witnesses were not proven harm from their activities, then what harm refers to the Ministry of Justice? 11:20 Little wife points out that the vast majority of publications Witnesses were included in FSEM 8 years ago. Over the years there have been no terrorist act or an act of vandalism by Jehovah's Witnesses. Nothing of the sort was before. 11:24 Little wife draws attention to the fact that these publications were included in FSEM before the famous Resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court, who explained that extremism can not be regarded as criticism of other religions. 11:25 Little wife emphasizes that only a few experts found signs of extremism in the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses. unqualified experts often work. Courts hear cases in the absence of the faithful. For example, one of the brochures, which contains almost no text has been recognized as an extremist for the phrase "avoid bad deeds." In response to laughter little wife said that the people who conduct searches because of this brochure, not a laughing matter. 11:30 Two other publications included in FSEM, but Jehovah's Witnesses still do not know why, in spite of the numerous appeals and requests. "If so consider printed texts, the Russian can generally be left without books soon!" 11:35 Little wife: It seems that the prosecution is trying by all means to recognize the extremist largest possible number of Jehovah's Witnesses materials. For example, the prosecutor's office filed a lawsuit on the recognition of extremist Bible itself, in spite of an express stipulation in the law of the Bible and quotes from it can not be recognized as extremist. Of arguments the prosecutor's office: "Taken as a book, the Bible ceases to be the Bible, which it is only in the Church." (Laughter.) 11:39 Little wife points out that the cases involving the recognition of the Jehovah's Witnesses extremist literature appealed to the ECHR. 22 complaints and merged into one. In response to the request of the Strasbourg Court of the Russian Federation has officially recognized that Jehovah's Witnesses literature contains no open calls for violence. 11:45 The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the case of the recognition of the Jehovah's Witnesses as extremist materials shall not affect the rights of the "Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center in Russia", and these solutions are not canceled. A Justice Department now believes that on the contrary, affects ¬eto Law Center. But this is a mistake. 11:55 Lawyer little wife document proves that the printed materials have never been imported to the country after having been recognized as extremist. This also applies to all of the episodes, which imputes to believers the Ministry of Justice in its lawsuit. 12:05 At importation into the country almost every publication from the center of Jehovah's Witnesses were the results of examinations, is not found in them signs of extremism. Thus, the center could not have foreseen that certain materials can be considered extremist. The legislation is based on the principles of legal certainty and predictability of the consequences of certain actions. However, in the actions of state authorities against Jehovah's Witnesses, this principle is clearly not respected. 12:10 Statement by the representative of the defendant Toporova. "Extremism is extremism of Jehovah's Witnesses on the paper." No casualties, the victims or victims of the alleged "extremist" activities nor the prosecutor's office nor the Ministry of Justice failed to provide. 12:12 Axes refutes the Ministry of Justice on the "financing of extremism." Financial aid directed MPO, was directed at the liturgical service of buildings, utilities, sometimes to help the believers who have suffered from natural disasters. 12:17 The representative of Ax: The Ministry of Justice is encouraging countries to highest judicial body to resort to double standards. Earlier, the court, with the support of the Ministry of Justice, took the consistent position that the judgment against the local organizations do not affect the rights of the Administrative Center. Now the position of the Ministry has changed the other way around. It is trying to extend the sanctions imposed on several local organizations in the center and on all other 395 local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. 12:22 Axes analyzes the legal meaning of the term "within the structure of a centralized organization." Referring to the legislation, regulations and legal opinions, Ax shows that we are talking exclusively about the canonical and spiritual connection. Local religious organizations are not branches and representative offices of a centralized organization. 12:37 Axes explains that central and local organization of Jehovah's Witnesses are not liable for the obligations of each other. Center is the founder of any of the MPO. Each of them has its own composition of the founders of the 10 or more people. Each MPO its unique name, its own constitution, separate property, the right to enter into civil contracts. Addressing the judge, ax the analogy: the entire Russian judicial system is a single structure, but regional courts are not the structural units of the Supreme Court, but are separate entities. 12:43 Axes wondered why the vast majority, more than 380 MRO Russia, who have never received any complaints from the state, should be eliminated, even without warning and the opportunity to change something? In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of the results of audits of various departments, found no violations in the activities of all these MPO. 22 Crimea MPO, registered under the Russian legislation and have not committed any violation, wondering what they should be recognized as extremist, and their property confiscated? Why Moscow MPO registered under the instruction of the ECHR and has not committed any offense should be subject to less severe penalties? 12:52 Presentation by representative of Maxim Novakova. His speech is devoted to the analysis of so-called "new evidence of extremist activity" referred to by the Ministry of Justice in its lawsuit. We are talking about fines imposed on the number of MPO due to the detection in the liturgical buildings of extremist materials. 13:06 Administrative Center is not invited to participate in the affairs, so did not have an effective opportunity to raise the issue of the presence of provocations. Meanwhile, no evidence for a court may not have established force. Judicial decisions imposing fines could not have a prejudicial effect. Otherwise it would be a violation of the right to a fair trial. The decisions referred to by the Court - it is a beautiful enclosed "boxes", but the content of these "boxes" are not as priglyadno. To have a complete picture and to make an objective assessment, the court must assess the circumstances of the incident. At the service breaks riot police, throwing all the men on the floor, they were not allowed even to raise his head, while the unidentified man move uncontrollably in the building. On camera recorded as riot police stormed the building and takes liturgical police tossed in the closet prohibited materials, and then they "discover". 13:12 Novakov tells an interesting detail, recently discovered in the materials of the case. It turned out that one of the lobed publications is the inscription indicating that this publication belongs to one of the centers of Orthodox anti-sectarian! 13:18 Novakov notes that the term is a structural unit defined in the corresponding chapter of the title of the law. The concept of "structural unit" refers only to political parties. 13:25 The court announces a break until April 12, 2017 10:00.

SUPREME COURT DECLARES RECESS IN TRIAL FOR BANNING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES RIA Novosti, 7 April 2017 The Russian Supreme Court declared a recess until 12 April in the trial of the lawsuit of the Russian Ministry of Justice for the liquidation of the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in the RF and for finding their activity to be extremist and banning their work, a RIA Novosti correspondent reports from the courtroom. Next Wednesday the court will question four witnesses from the side of the organization and also examine written evidence in the case. During the trial it became known that the Ministry of Justice accuses the Jehovah's Witnesses, in particular, of refusing blood transfusions. Meanwhile a lawyer for the organization noted that refusing blood transfusion is not extremist; such an act is not in the law on combating extremist activity. He noted that the Ministry of Justice introduced as an example only a single instance, when doctors offered parents two alternative means of treatment, one of which provided for blood transfusion. But the parents wanted to treat the child with medications. The Ministry of Justice is sure that the work of the Jehovah's Witnesses causes a threat to the protection of the rights and interests of society and public safety, a lawyer for the ministry pointed out. She cited decisions of courts that found 95 brochures of Jehovah's Witnesses and also the activity of eight organizations in regions of Russia to be extremist. Lawyers for the organization retorted that the charges were against quotations from the Bible. Besides, government agencies had not reconsidered the question of the presence of extremism in these brochures after the introduction of changes into legislation about such crimes. Now the work of the Jehovah's Witnesses' center is suspended by order of the Ministry of Justice until the court makes a decision. The organization challenged this order in the Zamoskvoreche court of Moscow. The Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia is the parent organization that manages the affiliates of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. This religious organization regularly has problems with the law in Russia, from judicial orders banning the activity and liquidation divisions to fines for possession of extremist materials. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 April 2017) RUSSIAN SUPREME COURT POSTPONES CONSIDERATION OF CASE ON LIQUIDATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES Portal-Credo.Ru, 7 April 2017 The absurdity of the position of the Russian Ministry of Justice, demanding that all 396 religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia be ruled to be "extremist," and to ban their activity and confiscate their property, and also the mass of contradictions appearing in the course of judicial proceedings forced the Supreme Court of the RF on 7 April to again postpone consideration of the case, this time until 12 April, a Portal-Credo.Ru correspondent reports. The session on 7 April began with questions from Judge Ivanenko to lawyers of the Ministry of Justice to which, as yesterday also, no clear answers were received. In particular, the judge asked on what basis the ministry accused the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia of importing "extremist" literature even before it was ruled to be "extremist," and on what basis the ministry calls 395 local JW religious organizations "structural subdivisions" of the center, if the center is not there founder and they, in their turn, are not members of the composition of the center, and also on what basis the ministry regards any financial help by the center to local organizations as "financing extremist activity." The elder of the Russian Jehovah's Witnesses, Vasily Kalin, who was repressed by the soviet regime for his faith, showed the court his certification as a victim of political repressions and shared his memories of his life, which suddenly turn out to be "memories of the future" in the contemporary Russian federation. His deputy, Sergei Cherepanov, called the court's attention to the fact that the majority of the 20 criminal cases that have been initiated in recent years in the RF with regard to Jehovah's Witnesses on accusations of "extremism" ended with acquittals. He also described in detail incidents of plants of "extremist literature" in JW houses of worship by personnel of law enforcement agencies, which were documented by recording by Jehovah's Witnesses, and not one of these did authorities investigate, despite appeals of believers at all possible judicial instances. Lawyers introduced examples of the obvious absurdity of the actions of the Russian justice ministry against Jehovah's Witnesses, when general phrases were considered "extremist" (for example, "Avoid evil actions"). Even after the Russian law about the impossibility of finding the Bible and quotations from it to be "extremist" took effect, the prosecutor's office of the RF sought for rulings that the copies of the Bible that Jehovah's Witnesses use are "extremist," arguing that "the Bible is the Bible only in the Church." The European Court for Human Rights combined all 22 appeals from Jehovah's Witnesses against finding their literature "extremist" into one proceeding, while in the Russian federation's response to these appeals it was acknowledged that JW literature does not contain calls for violence. The defendants called the court's attention to the fact that the Ministry of Justice was not able to provide a single victim of "extremist activity" by Jehovah's Witnesses, and also to the fact that previously in this same Supreme Court of the RF the justice ministry defended the position that liquidation of local JW organizations does not affect the rights and interests of their center, while now on the basis of a ban of the activity of the center the same ministry demands banning the activity of all 395 local JW organizations. The defendants challenged the justice ministry thesis about "structural subdivisions": first, this term is used by Russian legislation only with regard to political parties; second, each local JW organization in Russia has its own founders and is not a member of the centralized organization. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 April 2017)

WOW JEHOVAH IS CERTAINLY WATCHING THIS. COURT ADJOURNED UNTIL THE DAY "AFTER" THE MEMORIAL...SO MOST OF OUR BROTHERS WILL BE ABLE TO OBSERVE THE MEMORIAL IN RELATIVE PEACE. PRAISE JAH

13:18 Novakov notes that the term is a structural unit defined in the corresponding chapter of the title of the law. The concept of "structural unit" refers only to political parties. 13:25 The court announces a break until April 12, 2017 10:00. Record performances: Vasily Kalin 00:00 00:00 Sergey Cherepanov 00:00 00:00 WOW JEHOVAH IS CERTAINLY WATCHING THIS. COURT ADJOURNED UNTIL THE DAY "AFTER" THE MEMORIAL...SO MOST OF OUR BROTHERS WILL BE ABLE TO OBSERVE THE MEMORIAL IN RELATIVE PEACE. PRAISE JAH