Religious group asks DFA to protect members in Russia

Department of Foreign Affairs building. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

BAGUIO CITY — The Jehovah’s Witnesses in the country have asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to intercede on behalf of Filipinos who face arrest or deportation in Russia for belonging to their faith.

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of the Philippines, the legal and corporate arm of the JWs, reiterated their appeal to DFA officials to help secure and provide legal support for hundreds of Filipino members of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia.

There are more than 8,000 Filipinos in Russia, and hundreds of them have been worshiping in various Kingdom Halls there, and are affected by a warning issued by the prosecutor general of Russia about what it describes as the JW’s “extremist activities,” as prescribed by Russia’s federal law on counteraction of extremist activities.

The warning was directed at the Administration Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia, following the seizure and liquidation of pocket groups of JW congregations recently. The center serves as JW’s national headquarters in Russia.

Dean Jacek, spokesperson of the JWs in the Philippines, said they filed more than 29 formal protests against Russia with the European Court of Human Rights and the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

He said the court misapplied Russia’s laws against extremism, which may be used to “freeze the Watch Tower Society’s assets” and confiscate office properties and all Kingdom Halls in Russia.

Russia recently banned JW publications, including Bibles, which contain message of peace, love, and respect and do not incite violence, he said.

“We are not engaged in any extremist activity. We simply want to freely carry out our worship and our Bible education work peacefully,” he said.

Jacek said a Filipino, who associates with the JW congregation, whether as member or not, could face arrest or be punished for engaging in worship, Bible study, or sharing the Bible’s message.

There are more than 175,000 Jehovah Witnesses in Russia, a country with a population of over 146 million. CBB