Russia court to consider Jehovah's Witnesses ban

[TomSea]

Russia court to consider Jehovah's Witnesses ban

Russia's justice ministry has called for a ban on the Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian movement that zealously seeks converts and rejects military service.

The ministry has asked Russia's supreme court to close the group's headquarters and stop its 175,000 Russian members sharing "extremist" literature.

A spokesman for the group called the proposed ban "persecuting worshippers just for manifesting their faith".

Some Russian regions have already shut down branches of Jehovah's Witnesses.

According to the justice ministry, the Jehovah's Witnesses' activities "violate Russia's law on combating extremism".

Continued: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39304984