Losing rights...

From Jehovah's Witness News, The Supreme Court located in Southern Siberia on January 27th, 2010, upheld an earlier ruling by the court in the capital, Gorno-Altaisk, outlawing 18 items of Jehovah's Witness literature as extremist. This means that whenever the Jehovah's followers willing use parts of their religious scripture it is now considered an illegal act. Right now there is not a direct appeal for the Jehovah's to cling to so instead they are rallying and making a movement to get the attention of the Supreme Court in Moscow. Three of the titles that were officially outlawed were of the 34 that had already been banned from a previous case which was decided in September of 2009. Jehovah's Witness are losing their rights and freedoms when it comes to their religion, and they are having a hard time understanding why their scripture is looked at as being so radical. They are saying that it doesnt make sense especially since their scripture promotes family values and friendly environments in neighborhoods. They feel that this is just a direct attack on their religion and a way to force them out of Russia.

Update:
On December 8, 2009 the Russian Supreme Court's rejection of appeals and defense of the Rostov-on-Dog Regional Court finding of 34 pieces of extremist ensuring their band nationwide, opened the floodgate for Russia to continue future bannings on the distribution of Jehovah's Witness literature throughout Russia. Russia sees the Witnesses as a threat and this is made evident by the Supreme Court also upholding the liquidation of the Taganrog Jehovah's Witness congregation as extremist. When asked why the Jehovah's Witnesses are seen as extremist and if for example they have killed anyone, the asked to not be named, the Secretary for the Supreme Court Civil Case Division answered "To a certain extent, yes."

In response Grigory Martynov of the Jehovah's Witness expressed disappointment, telling forum 18 that " the decision was taken very quickly" (www.forum18.org).

Jehovah's Witnesses upset by these decisions are protesting, and Vasily Kalin, a former prisoner of Russia and now a head of Jehovah's Witness in Russia says, "The basic rights that the Jehovah's Witness are fighting for today are critical for the preservation of democratic freedoms in Russia." Witnesses are angry that two of their brothers were sentenced to 10 days administrative arrest accused of administrating extremist literature, when they said all they were doing is going from door to door sharing their knowledge. There seems to be a growing separation between Russia's tolerance of what religious values and beliefs are acceptable, and that Jehovah's Witness beliefs are falling on the opposite side of what is deemed okay. and that no longer is it okay or a constitutional right in Russia for one to be able to share one's religious convictions. Atleast to on of the arrested, Tomayev, who pleaded against Pochep District court (finaltrump.com).