{"id":53996,"date":"2026-01-16T05:55:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T05:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/?p=53996"},"modified":"2026-01-16T05:55:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T05:55:08","slug":"russians-hate-jehovahs-witnesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/ar\/learn\/russians-hate-jehovahs-witnesses\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0644\u0645\u0627\u0630\u0627 \u064a\u0643\u0631\u0647 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0648\u0633 \u0634\u0647\u0648\u062f \u064a\u0647\u0648\u0647\u061f"},"content":{"rendered":"
This entry is part 38 of 38 in the series \u0641\u0647\u0645 \u0634\u0647\u0648\u062f \u064a\u0647\u0648\u0647<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Well, hello friends! It\u2019s so good to be with you today. We\u2019re going to talk about something that\u2019s on the hearts of many, a situation that calls for our understanding and our prayers. It\u2019s about our brothers and sisters, the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses, and what they\u2019re facing in Russia. It\u2019s a journey of faith, and like many journeys, it has its challenges, including a nationwide ban and ongoing difficulties. But we know that even in tough times, light can shine through.<\/p>\n

This article is for all you wonderful Christian readers out there who are looking to understand this situation a little better. We\u2019ll touch on why there\u2019s this tension, looking at religious freedom, some of the differences in beliefs, and how the government has responded. Russia is a nation with deep, deep roots in Orthodox Christianity, and that\u2019s part of this story too. We\u2019re going to walk through the history, the beliefs, the reasons given for the ban, what the Russian Orthodox Church thinks, and what life is like for Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses there right now. Our aim is to bring clarity and<\/p>\n

A Century of Faith and Hardship: What is the History of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia?<\/h2>\n

The challenges that Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses are facing in Russia today aren\u2019t just out of the blue. They\u2019re part of a long story, a journey of faith that\u2019s stretched over a hundred years, and often, it\u2019s been a tough road. Their presence in Russia actually goes all the way back to 1891.\u2076 After World War II, when the Soviet Union expanded its borders westward, it brought existing communities of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses into the USSR, and their numbers began to grow.\u2077<\/p>\n

The Soviet era, that was a time of severe hardship and persecution. After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses were banned.\u2076 This pressure reached a peak in 1951 with something called \"Operation North.\" This was a massive, state-organized deportation under Stalin. Thousands of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses, including precious children and the elderly, were forcibly sent away to remote, harsh areas in Siberia and Central Asia.\u2075 They had to endure terrible conditions under what was called \"special exile\" all the way until the mid-1960s. And even when the official exile ended, they still faced constant harassment, discrimination in finding jobs and getting an education, and unending pressure from the authorities and society to give up their faith.\u2077 Going to prison was also a reality, especially for young men who, because of their peaceful beliefs, refused to do mandatory military service.\u2077 This whole period shows a long, sustained pattern of the state trying to suppress them, long before these current \"extremism\" laws even existed.<\/p>\n

But then, when the Soviet Union collapsed, things changed in a big way. In 1991, Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses were legally recognized in the Russian Republic.\u2075 This opened up a season of relative religious freedom, allowing them to worship openly and share their faith. And as a result, their numbers grew significantly; reports say there were over 160,000 active members by 2021.\u2077<\/p>\n

But this window of freedom didn\u2019t stay open as wide as they\u2019d hoped. In 1997, a new law about religious groups created fresh challenges for those considered \"non-traditional\".\u2077 Then came a more direct challenge with the 2002 \"Law On Combatting Extremist Activity.\" At it was presented as a way to fight terrorism its definitions of \"extremism\" were very broad and vague, and they started being used more and more to restrict religious expression.\u2077 This was a problem for Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses because the law prohibited promoting religious \"exclusivity\" or \"supremacy\".\u2077 In 2007, these anti-extremism laws were specifically broadened to include groups that weren\u2019t violent.\u2075<\/p>\n

It became clear these laws were being used against Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses even before the nationwide ban. In 2009, a local court in a port city called Taganrog banned the Jehovah\u2019s Witness organization there. They said it was guilty of \"inciting religious hatred\" because it was \"propagating the exclusivity and supremacy\" of its beliefs.\u2075 Russia's Supreme Court agreed with this decision and also declared 34 of the Jehovah\u2019s Witness publications, including their well-known magazine \u0628\u0631\u062c \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0631\u0627\u0642\u0628\u0629<\/em>, as \"extremist\".\u2075 The pressure kept mounting. In 2015, Bibles were seized, with authorities saying they needed to check them for \"extremist language\".\u2075 In that same year, the official website of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses was added to the Federal List of Extremist Materials, making it a crime to promote it in Russia.\u2075<\/p>\n

This historical journey, shows a repeating pattern: times of intense state persecution, followed by short periods of relative freedom, only for new kinds of pressure and restrictions to appear. It\u2019s like a cycle, and it suggests that the conflict between the Jehovah\u2019s Witness faith and the Russian state comes from some deep, persistent issues that go beyond just specific political views or laws. The way these \"anti-extremism\" laws are being used against Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses today can be seen as a modern version of old Soviet tactics aimed at suppressing religious groups that don\u2019t fit in. The legal words have changed the goal of controlling or getting rid of religious groups that don\u2019t line up with what the state prefers seems to have a troubling continuity. The focus on \"exclusivity\" and \"supremacy\" as being extremist, especially after a 2006 change to the Extremism Law removed the need for \"violence or calls to violence\" for religious discord to be considered extremist 9, allowed the state to target the group based on what they teach, rather than any violent actions.<\/p>\n

Table 2: Timeline of Key Events: Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n Year\/Period\n <\/th>\n\n \u0627\u0644\u062d\u062f\u062b\n <\/th>\n\n \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0647\u0645\u064a\u0629\n <\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
\n 1891\n <\/td>\n\n First recorded presence of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.\n <\/td>\n\n Marks the beginning of their history in the region.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n 1917\n <\/td>\n\n Banned after the Bolshevik Revolution.\n <\/td>\n\n Start of official state suppression in the Soviet era.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n 1949 & 1951\n <\/td>\n\n \"Operation North\": Mass deportations of nearly all Jehovah's Witnesses to Siberia.\n <\/td>\n\n Represents severe persecution and attempts to eliminate the group under Stalin.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n Mid-1960s\n <\/td>\n\n End of \"special exile\" conditions, but continued harassment and discrimination.\n <\/td>\n\n Transition to a less overt but still repressive environment.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n 1991\n <\/td>\n\n Legal recognition in the Russian Republic; collapse of the Soviet Union.\n <\/td>\n\n Ushers in a period of religious freedom and significant growth for Jehovah's Witnesses.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n 1997\n <\/td>\n\n New law on religion creates difficulties for \"non-traditional\" groups.\n <\/td>\n\n Signals a shift towards greater state control over religious organizations.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n 2002\n <\/td>\n\n Federal Law \"On Combatting Extremist Activity\" enacted.\n <\/td>\n\n Provides a legal tool later used extensively against Jehovah's Witnesses.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n 2007\n <\/td>\n\n Anti-extremism laws extended to non-violent groups.\n <\/td>\n\n Broadens the scope for prosecuting religious groups based on their teachings.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n 2009\n <\/td>\n\n Local ban in Taganrog; 34 JW publications declared extremist by Supreme Court.\n <\/td>\n\n Early significant application of extremism laws against Jehovah's Witnesses and their literature.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n 2015\n <\/td>\n\n JW Bibles seized; official JW website banned as extremist material.\n <\/td>\n\n Escalation of actions targeting core religious texts and communication channels.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n April 20, 2017\n <\/td>\n\n Russian Supreme Court bans Jehovah's Witnesses nationwide as an \"extremist\" organization.\n <\/td>\n\n Marks the beginning of the current era of widespread, systematic persecution.\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The \"Extremist\" Label: Why Did the Russian Government Officially Ban Jehovah's Witnesses?<\/h2>\n

That 2017 decision by the Russian Supreme Court was a real turning point. When they labeled Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses an \"extremist\" organization and banned their activities all across the country, it effectively made practicing their faith a crime for all their followers in Russia.\u2075 To understand why this happened, we need to look at the official reasons and the laws the Russian government and courts used.<\/p>\n

The main legal tool used against Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses is Russia's Federal Law \"On Combatting Extremist Activities\".\u2077 In April 2017, the Supreme Court agreed with a claim from the Ministry of Justice that what Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses were doing violated this law. This ruling led to the shutdown of the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses' national headquarters in Saint Petersburg and all 395 of their local religious groups. Their property was also ordered to be taken by the state.\u2075<\/p>\n

The Ministry of Justice gave several key reasons for asking for this ban 10:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Bringing in and sharing literature that was already called extremist:<\/strong> Russian courts had previously said that many Jehovah\u2019s Witness publications, like their main magazine \u0628\u0631\u062c \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0631\u0627\u0642\u0628\u0629<\/em> and a text called Studying in a theocratic school<\/em>, were \"extremist.\" The reason given was that these materials stirred up religious hatred and said that one group of people was better than others because of their religion.\u2075 The Ministry pointed out that the national center was still bringing in and distributing these materials.<\/li>\n
  2. Giving money to regional organizations that were already banned:<\/strong> Before the big 2017 nationwide ban, several regional Jehovah\u2019s Witness groups had already been called extremist and shut down by local courts. The Ministry accused the national center of continuing to send money to some of these already outlawed regional branches.\u00b9\u2070<\/li>\n
  3. Not doing enough to stop extremist activities:<\/strong> The Ministry argued that the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses' main Administrative Center didn\u2019t take the right steps to stop or prevent extremist activities within their organization, even though they had received official warnings, including one from the Prosecutor General in March 2016.\u00b9\u2070<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The Russian law\u2019s definition of \"extremist activities\" is very broad, and many have said it\u2019s too vague.\u2077 It includes things like \"incitement of hatred\" and \"advocacy of superiority or violation of rights on the basis of race, religion, or nationality\".\u00b9\u2070 A really important change was made to this Extremism Law back in 2006. It removed the words \"associated with violence or calls to violence\" from the definition of extremism when it was about religious disagreements.\u2077 This change was huge because it meant the state could go after non-violent groups based on what they taught and their claims of having the one true religion.<\/p>\n

    In its ruling, the Supreme Court pointed to Article 30 of the Russian Constitution, which says you can\u2019t have organizations that aim to stir up national or religious hatred. They also mentioned Article 14 of the Federal Law \u201cOn Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations,\u201d which allows a religious organization to be dissolved if it\u2019s doing extremist things.\u00b9\u2070 The Court decided that the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses Management Center had broken its own rules and the Federal Law \u201cOn Combatting Extremist Activities\u201d by continuing to bring in banned literature and give money to outlawed regional offices even after they got an official warning.\u00b9\u2070 The Court said that these restrictions were for a \"socially important purpose,\" like protecting public order and national security, and that they were \"proportionate and necessary.\" What\u2019s more, the Court said that the state doesn\u2019t have to wait for \"symptoms of extremism to accumulate\" and become more than just threats before it takes action.\u00b9\u2070<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s also important to know that Russia's laws about religion make a distinction between \"traditional\" and \"non-traditional\" religions. The law recognizes Christianity (specifically Russian Orthodoxy), Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as the country's four \"traditional\" religions, and it gives a \"special role\" to the Russian Orthodox Church.\u00b9\u00b9 This kind of puts other religious groups, like Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses, in a \"non-traditional\" category, and that might make them more likely to be scrutinized. Although the constitution says there\u2019s religious freedom, it also allows for restrictions to protect the country\u2019s structure, security, morality, and the health of its citizens.\u00b9\u00b9<\/p>\n

    Using these broadly defined \"anti-extremism\" laws against Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses, based on their theological claims of having unique truth and their distribution of books and magazines about it, really shows how such laws can be used. Instead of focusing on violent acts or direct threats to public safety, the state has targeted the group's peaceful expression of their faith and how they organize themselves. Saying that \"national security\" and \"public order\" are reasons to ban a pacifist religious group 4 suggests that the state has a wider interest in controlling religious stories and groups that it sees as being influenced from outside or as disruptive to the kind of society it prefers, maybe one that\u2019s centered around \"traditional\" values and religions.\u2076 The court's idea that it\u2019s okay to take action to prevent problems, even before any real harm happens, creates an environment where religious minorities might feel they have to be very careful about what they say or face being shut down based on how the state interprets their beliefs and writings as potentially \"extremist.\"<\/p>\n

    The Voice of Orthodoxy: What is the Russian Orthodox Church's Stance on Jehovah's Witnesses?<\/h2>\n

    The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is a very major religious institution in Russia. It\u2019s the main one, and the law even recognizes its \"special role\" in the country's history and culture.\u00b9\u00b9 So, what the ROC says about other religious groups, especially those it considers \"non-traditional\" or \"sects,\" can really carry a lot of weight in public discussions and might even influence how society feels.<\/p>\n

    High-ranking leaders in the ROC have been openly critical of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses and what they teach. For example, Metropolitan Ilarion of Volokolamsk, who is a very important figure in the ROC's relationships with others, has publicly called Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses a \"totalitarian and dangerous sect\".\u2077 He accused their activities of being based on \"manipulation of consciences\" and claimed they \"erode the psyche of people and families\".\u2077 From a theological viewpoint, Metropolitan Ilarion said that Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses \"deform Christ's teaching,\" \"falsely interpret the Gospel,\" and because they \"do not believe in Jesus Christ as God and Savior\" and \"do not recognize the doctrine of the Holy Trinity,\" they \"cannot be called Christians\".\u2077 The ROC generally feels that the ideas of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses have \"nothing in common with Christianity\".\u2077<\/p>\n

    About that 2017 state ban on Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses, the ROC's official position has been a bit layered. Metropolitan Ilarion said that the ROC \"has taken no part in this matter\" (meaning the legal steps that led to the ban) and that \"the Church does not appeal for heretics, members of sects or dissenters to be prosecuted\".\u2077 But, at the same time, he described the Supreme Court's decision to ban Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses as \"a positive act in the fight against the spread of sectarian ideas\".\u2077 He also commented, \"There is no doubt that sectarians will remain and continue their activities at least they will stop being openly on the same floor with Christian confessions, and that is a good thing\".\u2077 This shows a clear approval of how the ban turned out, even while saying the Church wasn't directly involved in the legal side. Other sources also confirm that the ROC publicly supported the ban.\u00b9\u00b9<\/p>\n

    Some reports suggest that some parts of the ROC might have been taking a more active stance for a longer time. One document mentions that since the mid-1990s, \"elements of the Russian government and the Orthodox Church launched a campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses with the ultimate aim of banning their activities throughout Russia\".\u2079 But it\u2019s also noted that specific details about such a campaign by the Church aren't given much in that source.\u2079 It\u2019s been observed that religious groups in Russia that aren't part of the Orthodox Church are often described as \"foreign influences\" and seen more as threats to national security than as spiritual communities.\u2078 This way of framing things lines up with some of the ROC's strong words against \"sects.\"<\/p>\n

    The ROC's strong theological condemnation of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses as a \"dangerous sect\" and its portrayal of them as non-Christian and harmful to society kind of provides an ideological backing for the state's actions, even if the ROC denies directly pushing for legal action. When the Church publicly approves of the ban, it helps create a climate where such state actions against a \"non-traditional\" religious group might seem more acceptable or even necessary to some people.<\/p>\n

    The wish expressed by an ROC official to see Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses not \"on the same floor with Christian confessions\" 14, along with the legal system that gives priority to \"traditional religions\" like the ROC 11, helps create a social dynamic that can push groups like Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses to the margins. This can make them more vulnerable to state action, which can then be presented as a way to protect national identity, traditional values, and spiritual heritage. Although the ROC might say it had no direct hand in the legal details of the ban, its long-standing theological opposition and its influence in shaping how the public sees \"sects\" and \"cults\" likely contribute to an environment where such a ban becomes more possible. The influence might be less about direct orders for legal action and more about creating a climate of intolerance and an informal alignment with state actors who also want to limit the influence of religious groups they see as \"foreign\" or \"destructive.\"<\/p>\n

    Points of Contention: Do Jehovah's Witnesses' Practices Clash with Russian Societal Norms or Laws?<\/h2>\n

    Beyond just that big \"extremism\" label, certain specific beliefs and practices of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses have, for a long time, been sources of tension with Russian authorities and have sometimes clashed with what\u2019s considered normal in Russian society or with its laws. These practices, which come from their deep religious convictions, often mean they put what they see as God's law above what the secular state requires.<\/p>\n

    One of the most visible things they do is their active proselytism or evangelism<\/strong>. Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses are well-known for going door-to-door and trying to share their beliefs publicly.\u2074 In a society where the Russian Orthodox Church is very dominant and where public religious sharing by minority groups might be seen as pushy, this practice can lead to friction. What\u2019s more, Russia's Yarovaya Law, which came into effect in 2016, put very strict limits on missionary activities. It effectively banned sharing faith outside of officially recognized religious places without specific permission.\u2078 This law directly affects the traditional ways Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses share their faith.<\/p>\n

    Their stance on political neutrality and state symbols<\/strong> is another big point of disagreement. Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses choose not to vote, hold political office, salute national flags, or say pledges of allegiance.\u00b2 They also generally don\u2019t recognize the absolute authority of the state in the countries where they live, believing their first allegiance is to God's kingdom.\u2076 In a country like Russia, which often puts a strong emphasis on national unity and patriotic displays, refusing to do these things can be seen as disloyal, a rejection of state authority, or even as trying to undermine the state.<\/p>\n

    Closely connected to this is their refusal of military service<\/strong>. Because they are pacifists, Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses refuse to take up weapons or participate in military service.\u00b2 Russia has mandatory military service for young men. Refusing to serve is a direct conflict with state law and with deeply held expectations of what a citizen should do. This practice has, in the past, led to Jehovah\u2019s Witness men being imprisoned 7 and is mentioned as a reason why they become a target for authorities.\u2078<\/p>\n

    The Jehovah\u2019s Witness practice of refusing blood transfusions<\/strong>, even when it\u2019s a life-or-death medical situation, is based on how they interpret certain Bible passages.\u2074 This stance often brings up complex ethical questions for doctors and can be seen by the state as harmful to public health, especially when it involves the medical treatment of children.\u2076 While Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses have actually helped in the development of alternative, bloodless medical treatments 4, their refusal of blood is still a controversial practice.<\/p>\n

    \u0643\u0645\u0627 \u0623\u0646 claims of religious exclusivity<\/strong> are a central part of the accusations that they \"incite religious hatred.\" Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses believe that their faith is the one true religion and that other religions, including those in mainstream \"Christendom,\" are false or have strayed from true biblical teachings.\u2074 This strong belief, when it\u2019s expressed in their literature and their preaching, has been interpreted by Russian authorities as promoting religious disagreement and the idea that their beliefs are superior to others.\u2075<\/p>\n

    Finally, some people see Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses as promoting social separatism<\/strong>. The way their organization is structured and the expectations they have can lead to a certain amount of social isolation from the wider community. Practices like \"shunning,\" where members are told to cut off contact with former members who have been disfellowshipped or have left the group, can lead to accusations of being a \"cult\" and of disrupting family relationships.\u00b2<\/p>\n

    Many of these contentious practices come from a deeply held religious belief that God's laws, as they understand them, are more important than secular or state laws. This fundamental way of looking at things can inevitably lead to friction with state authorities who expect people to comply with civic duties and follow national laws and norms. In a political climate that increasingly emphasizes patriotism, national unity (which is often tied to the Russian Orthodox Church), and civic duty, the distinct practices of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses\u2014like their political neutrality and refusal of military service\u2014can easily be portrayed as unpatriotic or as a challenge to the state itself, especially when they are already seen as a \"foreign influence\".\u2078 While some practices directly go against state laws (like mandatory military service), others, such as sharing their faith or their claims of exclusivity, might simply be misunderstood or viewed negatively by a public that\u2019s used to a different religious landscape. This societal discomfort can then be used by authorities to build a case for \"extremism,\" painting these practices not just as different as actively harmful or divisive.<\/p>\n

    Life Under Ban: How Are Jehovah's Witnesses Treated in Russia Today?<\/h2>\n

    That 2017 nationwide ban has had a truly devastating effect on the lives of Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses in Russia. It turned their peaceful worship into something criminal and has subjected them to systematic persecution. The ruling effectively outlawed the religious practices of an estimated 175,000 Russian citizens.\u00b9\u2075<\/p>\n

    Since the ban, here\u2019s what Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses have been facing:<\/p>\n