Jehovah's Witnesses arrested in Moscow

Several leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia have been detained by law enforcement officers under legislation outlawing the religious group. In a statement published on the website of the Investigative Committee on Tuesday, authorities reported the arrests of several people after a “conspiratorial gathering” in a private apartment in Moscow. At the meeting, “followers studied religious literature and information contained in other sources of information propagating the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and carried out other actions characteristic of the group.” In 2017, membership of the Christian denomination was banned by the Russian Supreme Court after a request from the government. The decision was widely condemned abroad as a perceived infringement of religious freedoms. However, a survey of the general public found that more than three-quarters supported the decision, with some responding that “they go from house to house, harassing people on the streets and calling them on the phone.”