A Russian court has sentenced a Jehovah’s witness from Denmark to six years for extremism
The court of Railway area of the eagle has sentenced the citizen of Denmark Dennis Christensen to six years in prison, finding him guilty of extremism (part 1 of article 282.2 of the criminal code), the correspondent bi-Bi-si from the courtroom.
Entering the courtroom before the sentencing, Christensen shouted that he hoped that Russia would respect the right of people to freedom of religion.
The court ruled that Dane “used the authority of the spiritual leader” and “provided the work of the organization (Jehovah’s witnesses, “eagle”), knowing about its prohibition”. Arguments of protection the court called untenable.
Under the 282nd article of the criminal code of the Russian Federation the citizen of Denmark was due to the fact that he is a Jehovah’s witness and actively participated in the life of local religious communities, despite the prohibition of its activities.
In 2016 Orlovsky, the court declared the local religious organization of Jehovah’s witnesses “eagle” extremist.
The Prosecutor’s office demanded to give him six and a half years in prison. The minimum punishment under part 1 of article 282 of six years, which he eventually got.
According to investigators, Christensen, “being the de facto leader of MRO Jehovah’s witnesses “eagle”, “took active steps of an organizational nature, aimed at the continuation of illegal activities prohibited by the court of MRO Jehovah’s witnesses “eagle”.
Thus an official member of the Orel MRO he was not. Protection of Dane examined the documents of MRO and they have not found any mention Christensen.
“Even the prosecution is not disputed. They say he was the “de facto leader”. Even though the facts say the opposite”, said Bi-bi-si, the attorney Christensen Anton Bogdanov.
Throughout Russia opened more than 80 criminal cases against Jehovah’s witnesses.