Timofey Zhukov, a local lawyer in Surgut and a Jehovah's Witness, has helped coordinate the defense of those charged. But police have put him under investigation as well. Before it started, two plainclothes police officers entered and approached Zhukov, informing him they were there to take him to a psychiatric hospital located nearly miles away. A court had earlier ordered Zhukov to undergo psychological evaluation at the hospital, something he said he believed was intended to pressure him for fighting the criminal charges.
He refused to go with the two officers on the basis that the court order was under appeal. After a tense standoff, the two officers backed down and left. But as Zhukov exited the court building later, the officers jumped him, trying to drag him away from the crowd of other Jehovah's Witnesses.
Zhukov managed to escape, but a day later was grabbed again by police. He said he spent three weeks in a psychiatric hospital, housed with other men in a room with barred windows.
His detention echoes a practice from Soviet times when authorities incarcerated dissidents in mental institutions. Besides its extravagant displays of force and harsh sentences, the campaign has another unusual feature: No one really knows why it is happening. Unlike efforts to outlaw political opponents of the Kremlin, there is no obvious motive for why Russian authorities have targeted Jehovah's Witnesses.
Internationally, the group is best known for their proselytising on door steps. They share similar beliefs with many mainstream Christian churches, though they have a number of unique values as well. Some of the beliefs -- such as rejecting blood transfusions -- are controversial, but none are violent. Jehovah's Witnesses are also forbidden from getting involved in politics, making the campaign even more puzzling. In the early days of the campaign, some observers believed the campaign might have been launched without the Kremlin's direct involvement.
When Putin was asked about the ban in , he appeared surprised, saying it was "total nonsense" and adding it "should be looked into carefully. Such words from Putin are usually interpreted as a signal to pull back. But since his remarks, the campaign against the Jehovah's Witnesses has intensified.
In the past year, it has spread to Moscow, which had previously been largely spared arrests and raids. As the campaign becomes broader, some experts have concluded it must be directed from the top of government and at least approved by Putin. Civil society organizations and human rights groups which received foreign funding were subject to invasive and debilitating new rules under a law on foreign agents passed shortly after Putin returned to power in S-tied religious groups, such as Seventh-Day Adventists and Pentacostals.
Yes and no. A remarkable amount of resources, including wiretapping and extensive surveillance, has been used in the hopes of catching someone in the act of discussing their faith or the Bible with another person, acts which are deemed extremist under the Russian law. It created a stigma that was never undone.
In February, U. In July, EU member states and six other members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe called on Russia to uphold its obligations to allow freedom of religion and expression, as guaranteed by the Russian constitution. But that will hurt him more than the platform.
While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets CSS if you are able to do so. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving. Beliefs Last updated The beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and how they differ from mainstream Christianity.
On this page Find out more Page options Print this page. Beliefs Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as a worldwide brotherhood that transcends national boundaries and national and ethnic loyalties. Gene Owens; Nieman Reports, Fall What is the Purpose of Life? Ecclesiastes 9: 5, John This, of course, is a major diversion from orthodox Christianity. The instead believe the Holy Spirit is a force applied by God. They claim that the Holy Spirit is "impersonal": "By referring to God's spirit as his 'hands,' 'fingers,' or 'breath,' the Bible shows that the holy spirit is not a person.
Exodus , 10 A craftsman's hands cannot function independent of his mind and body; likewise, God's holy spirit operates only as he directs it. Luke The Bible also compares God's spirit to water and associates it with such things as faith and knowledge.
These comparisons all point to the impersonal nature of the holy spirit. Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Christmas or Easter, which makes sense when you remember that they don't believe Jesus is equal to God. They also don't celebrate other national holidays or birthdays in an attempt to remain separate from the world. Jehovah's Witnesses try to remain politically neutral. They don't believe in serving in politics or in the military, mainly as another way for them to distance themselves from the culture.
Instead, they emphasize citizenship in God's heavenly kingdom. We do not lobby, vote for political parties or candidates, run for government office, or participate in any action to change governments. We believe that the Bible gives solid reasons for following this course," states JW. Jehovah's Witnesses hold the controversial view of rejecting blood transfusions, even in life or death situations.
Recently, Russia banned Jehovah's Witnesses and this issue was one of the reasons stated for their doing so. For example, we don't accept blood transfusions because the Bible forbids taking in blood to sustain the body. Acts Likewise, the Bible prohibits health treatments or procedures that include occult practices.
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