RUSSIA: Raids, literature confiscations and criminal case in Tambov--first such reported home raids against them since the Soviet era--Forum 18 News Service reports

by cattails 39 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  cattails

  22 March 2010
  RUSSIA: Raids, literature confiscations and criminal case in Tambov
  
  By Geraldine Fagan, Forum 18 News Service , and Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service Russia has raided three flats of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tambov in the first such reported home raids against them since the Soviet era, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. The raids follow previous raids on the homes of Muslims who read the works of theologian Said Nursi. The police protocol of one search gives its aim as confiscation of "items of literature and electronic devices propagandising religious hatred, as well as other documentation recording activity by the religious group 'Jehovah's Witnesses'". Search warrants referred to the opening of a case under Criminal Code Article 282 ("incitement of ethnic, racial or religious hatred"). Forum 18 was unable to find out why the house searches were ordered, nor why copies of the search warrants were not given to the victims. Tambov Regional Police claimed that "these were not raids but searches". Distribution, preparation or storage with the aim of distribution of Jehovah's Witness literature on the Federal List of Extremist Materials could result in a five-year prison term.
  
  
  
  
  
  Investigator Igor Avdeyev, who is leading the investigation and initiated the search warrants, confirmed to Forum 18 from Tambov on 22 March that he has opened a criminal case under Article 282 Part 1 (incitement to hatred or hostility or denigration of an individual's human worth on the basis of religious affiliation), which carries a maximum two-year prison term. He said the case is over the "fact of distribution by Jehovah's Witnesses of extremist material", but "at present it is not against specific individuals".
  
  However, Avdeyev declined absolutely to discuss further "the course of the investigation", including who had taken the initiative to launch the case and why the Jehovah's Witness community is being presented as having committed crimes without a trial having taken place. Jehovah's Witnesses denied to Forum 18 that any of their literature is extremist.
  
  Avdeyev was quoted by Russian media websites on 17 March as maintaining that some 100 people had distributed banned Jehovah's Witness literature and would be interrogated in the near future.
  
  Jehovah's Witnesses and readers of Muslim theologian Said Nursi have been particular victims of government action against alleged religious "extremism", with many of their works being branded "extremist" and those who distribute them subject to prosecution (see F18News 5 March 2010 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1417).
  
  For Full Story > http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1424
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  Bangalore

  I think the Russian authorities are overdoing it.

  Bangalore
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  DaCheech

  they are doing it right, they are confiscating the material that promotes HATE
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  Brocephus

  Surely the end must be soon!
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  OnTheWayOut

  I see I am not the only voice that agrees with these Russian authorities, but we are in the minority.

  In the U.S., we expect the government to shut down fringe cults that have children married off to the leaders.
  Well, the JW's are dangerous to children, perhaps just as much in the long term.

  They do teach hatred of other religions.
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  tjlibre

  I can’t help but to have mix feelings about the situation. On one hand, I’m troubled by the violation of the Russian JW’s human rights; specifically, the ban on their right to read whatever they want. Also, I’m against all physical and mental abuse that children, innocent men and women are subjected by the hand of ANY human authority.

  On the other hand, if the REAL quarrel that the Russian authorities have with the JW is the content of the Watchtower Corp literature…then, why does the Russian JW insist on using such literature? Isn’t the Bible the MAIN tool for learning, teaching and spreading the JW message? It is insane to place your life, your freedom and your family’s well being at risk, by distributing literature from a publishing company, which sole concern is its own self preservation at the expense of human liberties!!

  In my opinion (because I’m still a bible believing person), there is only one test that the Governing Body needs to pass in order to demonstrate that they CARE about the well being of the Russian JW….TELL THEM TO STOP DISTRIBUTING WATCHTOWER PUBLICATIONS!!!! and reiterate that the Bible (even if is not the WT translation) is now their sole publication. But as we all here know, the board of director of a heartless corporation won’t put the people interest before theirs…

  I hope someone from Bethel reads this and relay the message to the 9 men sitting in the ivory W. Tower.
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  Scott77

  OTWO is right. I think they take advantage of this (U.S.) democractic country's freedom of religion. If you closely scritinize their literature, they indeed promote hatred of other religiouns disguised as a bible based teaching. Sigh

  Scott77
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  tjlibre

  I agree that some, not all JW are border line religious extremists. When you tell a person it’s ok to let a child die for refusing a blood transfusion…you are a religious extremists! When you tell a person that Jehovah will annihilate over 99.99% of the world population simply because they are not JW…you are a religious extremists! When you tell families to turn their backs on their sons & daughters that no longer abide by the rule of a couple of fallible men…you are a religious extremists! When you teach that ALL religions other than yours are demon controlled…you are a religious extremists! When you instill in your followers (in the words from another poster) to “view people as walking corpses”…you are a religious extremists! Therefore, the Russian government should go after the leaders…send Interpol to arrest the members of the GB and throw them in a frigid, dark, wet GULAG for their extremist propaganda and crimes against over 7 million people.
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  gubberningbody

  I don't agree with their actions. I think it would be far better to demolish the organization in the press by putting on public TV and radio programs exposing the WTBS and the theology of the JW's. This sort of thing just plays into the JW-persecute-me-means-I'm-right thinking.
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  skeeter1

  tjlibre, I couldn't agree more with your comment.

  gubberningbody, yes information will stop most people from joining this cult.