The European Union expects Jehovah's Witness Dennis Christensen to be immediately and unconditionally released

The European Union expects that Jehovah's Witness Dennis Christensen, sentenced to six years in prison for his faith, will be released immediately and unconditionally.

On 7 February 2019, a spokesman for the European External Action Service (EMS) said that the European Union expects that Jehovah's Witness Dennis Christensen, a Danish citizen sentenced to six years in prison for his faith, will be released immediately and unconditionally.

“Jehovah's Witnesses, like all other religious groups ,” said a communiqué issued in Brussels, “ must be able to peacefully enjoy freedom of assembly without interference, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, as well as Russia’s international obligations and international human rights standards .” .

Vladimir Putin’s press secretary also commented on the sentence handed down on February 6, 2019 to D. Christensen: we recall that the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia are illegal, and “ Mr. Christensen, de facto knowing about the ban, conducted activities and worked in the interests of this organization and to promote this organization .”

Let us remind you that we consider the prosecution of Christensen and his conviction to be unlawful. The local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Oryol wasdeclared extremist in 2016, and the Russian Supreme Court confirmed this decision of the regional court. However, we believe that the liquidation of Jehovah's Witnesses organizations for extremism, persecution of members of their communities and bans of texts have no legal basis at all and are a manifestation of religious discrimination.

The persecution of Christians in Russia attracts the attention of the international community: for example, the human rights organization Open Doors presented an annual list of 50 countries in which Christians are persecuted - Russia was included in it mainly in connection with the criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Sources

• The EU demanded from the Russian Federation the immediate release of a Danish Jehovah's Witness convicted of extremism // Interfax-religions. 2019. February 7.
• For the first time in seven years, Russia was included in the list of countries where Christians are persecuted // Medusa. 2019. January 17.
• Putin will give instructions following the meeting of the Human Rights Council regarding Jehovah's Witnesses // TASS. 2019. February 7.