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Human Rights Watch | Russia: Jehovah’s Witness Convicted
Dennis Christensen - Beginning the journey to prison in Russia.
Each of us should reflect on the system that both allows and encourages such persecutions.
Related: Danish Jehovah's Witness Found Guilty Of Extremism In Russian Court, Given Six Years
Dennis Christensen - Beginning the journey to prison in Russia.
Human Rights Watch
2/6/19
(Moscow) – A Russian court on February 6, 2019 convicted Dennis Christensen, a Jehovah’s Witness adherent and Danish citizen, on extremism charges for practicing his faith, Human Rights Watch said today. The court sentenced Christensen to six years in prison. The conviction is a blatant violation of the rights to religious freedom and expression. The verdict comes amid Russian law enforcement’s nationwide campaign against Jehovah’s Witnesses. Authorities throughout Russia have filed criminal extremism charges against more than 100 Jehovah’s Witnesses since Russia’s Supreme Court banned the Jehovah’s Witness organization in 2017. “The verdict against Denis Christensen is a disgrace,” said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “It’s shocking that in post-Soviet Russia authorities are putting people through the ordeal of a criminal investigation and prison for nothing more than peacefully practicing their faith.” Christensen, 47, had been in pretrial custody for 20 months, since his arrest in May 2017. His lawyer told Human Rights Watch that he will appeal.
Each of us should reflect on the system that both allows and encourages such persecutions.
Related: Danish Jehovah's Witness Found Guilty Of Extremism In Russian Court, Given Six Years