Cast in Russia as the enemy within, Jehovah’s Witnesses see Soviet history replay
First adherent detained for extremism has likened the authorities’ behaviour to that of Josef Stalin’s Soviet Union
Oryol, Russia — The first Jehovah’s Witness detained for extremism in Russia has likened the authorities’ behaviour to that of Josef Stalin’s Soviet Union ahead of a verdict in his trial. Armed police scaled the gates of a compound where the Christian denomination was meeting in Oryol, about 320km south of Moscow, in May 2017 and detained Dennis Christensen, a Danish national, on extremism charges. He has spent the last 20 months in jail and has only been allowed to meet his wife, separated by bars and a corridor, twice a month. If convicted, he could spend up to a decade in jail. The trial of the 46-year-old builder is seen by the US and the EU as a litmus test for religious freedom, and the latest twist in a worsening East-West standoff.
The US-headquartered Jehovah’s Witnesses have been under pressure for years in Russia, where the Orthodox Church is championed by President Vladimir Putin. Orthodox scholars have cast them as a dangerous foreign sect that erodes state instit...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.