Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Christian denomination founded in the U.S. in the late 19th century, may face ban in Russia following the decision made by the Russia’s supreme court, a designation members of the faith fear would lead to the shuttering of their more than 2,300 congregations in that country.
The possibility has galvanized many of the world’s 8 million Jehovah’s Witnesses, a minority denomination in every country in which they live, and one that is frequently harassed.
But their experience in Russia, where there are approximately 175,000 Witnesses, has been particularly hostile.
“An imminent ban is in the making,” said Jehovah’s Witness spokesman David A. Semonian. “There are other areas where we have faced challenges, but this is unique.”
The court is scheduled to take up the case on April 5.
It could be revealed that Jehovah’s Witnesses have already been banned in some areas of the country, where local officials consider their literature and criticism of the Russian Orthodox Church a form of incitement.
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