In April 2017, the Russian Federation banned Jehovah’s Witnesses as an “extremist” organization. In the five years since that designation, law enforcement authorities across Russia have made it a regular practice to raid, detain, and arrest Jehovah’s Witnesses on “extremism” charges directly related to their peaceful religious activities. According to statistics published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, approximately 643 Witnesses have been charged with “organizing the activities of an extremist organization,” and nearly 350 individuals have been detained or arrested at some point in time. As of early October, 100 Witnesses are imprisoned in Russia for their beliefs.

David Williams, Deputy Director of the Office of Public Information, and Jarrod Lopes, Senior Communications Officer, from the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in New York join us today to discuss the ongoing persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia. 

Read USCIRF's 2022 Backgrounder on Russia and Issue Update on The Global Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Listen USCIRF's Spotlight Podcast on Abuses of Traditional Religion in Russia.

With Contributions from:

Keely Bakken, Senior Policy Analyst, USCIRF

Veronica McCarthy, Public Affairs Associate, USCIRF