A Russian court has banned the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ translation of the Bible following a drawn-out legal battle, another blow to followers of the pacifist Christian sect who have been branded “extremists” and driven to practicing their faith underground, as in Soviet times.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ parent organization in Russia and 395 regional branches were formally placed on the Justice Ministry’s list of “extremist” groups on August 17, a procedural move following the Supreme Court’s decision to ban the group’s activities and seize its property earlier this year.
