The Russian branch of the Jehovah’s Witnesses intends to seek the cancellation of the ruling to abolish their organization in Russia and the recognition of the national courts’ rulings as violation of the rights of believers, lawyer Viktor Zhenkov representing the Jehovah’s Witnesses Administrative Center in Russia told Interfax.
“The final point has not yet been made in this issue, because the Supreme Court violated norms not only of the Russian legislation, but also the international one, therefore, we will appeal with the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) against this ruling,” Zhenkov told Interfax on July 17.
“The European Court considers any ruling in terms of compliance with the Convention on Human Rights. The Convention’s provisions were certainly breached in this case, that’s why I’m sure the European Court will find violations of the rights of believers in this case,” he said.
Earlier on July 17, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of the Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses against the ban on their organization and its abolition following a lawsuit of the Russian Justice Ministry.
