The Other Russia reported yesterday that government authorities in a number of Russian regions have increasingly moved against members of the rapidly-expanding Jehovah's Witness faith. In Yekaterinburg, Federal Security Service (FSB) agents seized literature that allegedly incited hatred and promoted the exclusivity of the Jehovah's Witness faith. In the Rostov Oblast, Jehovah's Witnesses are being tried for "extremism" under Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code that prohibits "Incitement of National, Racial, or Religious Enmity". In Murmansk, Jehovah's Witnesses were prevented from holding services scheduled for a stadium under a law that prohibits using sporting facilities for religious purposes.
UPDATE: A Forum 18 report on July 22 says that Russian authorities have prevented about eight Jehovah's Witness congresses being held this summer while about thirty have gone ahead.
