In a major police action in Russia against the Jehovah’s Witnesses, an unknown number of members of the denomination banned in Russia have been arrested. Raids have taken place today in 20 regions across the country.
Among the suspects arrested would be the leaders of the organization. Despite the ban, they are said to have organized covert meetings and tried to convert others.
Extremists
Russia labeled the Jehovah’s Witnesses three years ago as an extremist organization and forbade the denomination. Regularly become Jehovah’s Witnesses in the country arrested and convicted.
Why the authorities consider Jehovah’s Witnesses to be an extremist organization they have never made clear, says correspondent David Jan Godfroid. “It is well known that the government, also under pressure from the Russian Orthodox Church, does not like new evangelical groups that are out to recruit more members. Moreover, such denominations often come from the West.”
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