The Supreme Court of Russia validates ban imposed on Jehovah's Witnesses in the country

The Supreme Court of Russia on Monday found legal the earlier court ruling that recognized the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia as an extremist group, banned their activities and ordered dissolution of their organization in the country, reports Interfax-Religion.

"The decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of April 20, 2017, which accommodates the request from the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on the liquidation of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia has been left unchanged and the appeal dismissed," the board of appeals of the Russian Supreme Court said in its decision.

Thus, the organization's liquidation has taken legal effect.

Lawyer of the organization Anton Omelchenko argued that when drafting administrative protocols on the distribution of extremist literature, law enforcers planted materials from the relevant list at their disposal into the premises of local organizations.

Representative of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation Svetlana Borisova asked to leave the ruling on liquidation without change.

According to her, the actions of the Ministry meet the requirements of the federal law on combating extremist activity, which ensures the legitimate interests of individuals or legal entities, as well as the society and the state as a whole.