Written question No. 723 to the Committee of Ministers | Doc. 14384 | 05 July 2017
Russian Federation's ban on Jehovah's Witnesses
I draw your attention to the Russian Federation’s ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses imposed by the Russian Supreme Court on 20 April 2017. This decision would appear to be a clear violation of Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The ban concerns more than 200,000 individuals and some 395 legal entities. It is likely that this decision will have implications for other religious minorities in Russia.
Mr Ghiletchi,
To ask the Committee of Ministers,
What steps does the Committee of Ministers intend to take to uphold religious freedom in Russia in accordance with the decisions of the European Court on Human Rights?
Would the Committee of Ministers consider giving the case of Jehovah’s Witnesses of Moscow v. Russia, no. 302/02, 10 June 2010 enhanced status in light of the recent developments?