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Reply to Written question | Doc. 14467 | 12 January 2018
Russian Federation's ban on Jehovah's Witnesses
1. The Committee of Ministers has discussed
the events relating to the liquidation of the Administrative Centre
and 395 Local Religious Organisations of Jehovah’s Witnesses following
the judgment of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 17
July 2017, and the Russian delegation has provided information in
this respect. The Committee is following these developments closely,
in the light of the settled case law of the European Court of Human
Rights under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights,
that freedom of religion, including freedom to manifest one’s religion,
alone or in community with others, is one of the foundations of
a pluralistic democratic society and one of the most vital elements
that go to make up the identity of believers and their conception
of life.
2. At its human rights (DH) meeting from 5 to 7 December 2017,
the Committee examined two cases against the Russian Federation
concerning violations of the rights of Jehovah’s Witnesses under
Articles 9 and 11 of the Convention (freedom of religion and freedom
of association), namely Jehovah’s Witnesses
of Moscow and Others (Application No. 302/02) and Krupko and Others (Application No.
26587/07). It decided to transfer both cases to the enhanced supervision
track and, inter alia, invited
the authorities to provide information, without prejudice to the
European Court’s examination of any complaints lodged as a result
of the new ban, in particular as regards the possibilities for the
applicants to continue to enjoy the individual right to freedom
of religion.