Tag: Yarovaya Law

Russia outlaws Jehovah’s Witnesses as ‘extremist group’

July 18, 2017 Russia Don Ossewaarde, Jehovah's Witnesses, Kazakhstan, Russia, USA, Vladimir Putin, Yarovaya Law

The administrative centre of the Jehovah's Witnesses based in the town of Solnechnoye in the federal city of St Petersburg, Russia. The Supreme Court has ordered the disbanding of the group. It needs to hand over all its assets and property to the Russian government. (Photo: Getty Images)

Russia’s Supreme Court yesterday (17 July) rejected an appeal by the Jehovah’s Witnesses against a ruling in April which declared it to be “extremist” and has ordered the disbanding of the group on Russian territory. “The justice ministry had argued that the group distributed pamphlets which incited hatred against other . . . Read More

US missionary appeals to European Court of Human Rights over Russian law

March 29, 2017 Russia Don Ossewaarde, Oryol, Pentecostals, Russia, Seventh-day Adventists, Yarovaya Law

UPDATE (29 March 2017) Today, Donald Ossewaarde filed an application to the European Court of Human Rights. The US Baptist preacher argues his right to religious freedom has been violated. Mr. Ossewaarde had held weekly Bible meetings at his home in the Russian city of Oryol, 300 kilometres south of Moscow, . . . Read More

US missionary in Russia fights for right to pray

February 6, 2017 Russia Don Ossewaarde, Moscow, Oryol, Russia, Terrorism, Yarovaya Law

An American missionary in Russia, who is appealing to the country’s Supreme Court against his conviction for holding religious services in his home and inviting others to attend them, says he is fighting to make sure everyone in Russia is free to read the Bible and pray. “If I don’t . . . Read More

Russia considers amending ‘anti-missionary law’

January 27, 2017 Russia Don Ossewaarde, Russia, Vladimir Putin, Yarovaya Law

Russia is considering amendments to what has been referred to as its “anti-missionary law“, which came into effect last summer and has since seen over 30 people charged with “offences”, including holding groups to study the Bible in homes or handing out New Testaments on a train. A Working Group . . . Read More

Russia: Church reacts as ‘anti-missionary bill’ becomes law

July 15, 2016 Russia Exile, House churches, Jehovah's Witnesses, Missionaries, Moscow, Pentecostals, Russia, Seventh-day Adventists, Soviet Union, Vladimir Putin, Yarovaya Law

On 7 July, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill referred to by one Christian organisation as an “anti-missionary bill”. The new law, known more commonly as the “Yarovaya” law (the name of one of its authors), which will come into effect on 20 July, was formally introduced . . . Read More

Russia approves ‘anti-missionary bill’

July 4, 2016 Russia Russia, Soviet Union, Vladimir Putin, Yarovaya Law

The upper chamber of the Russian Assembly has approved what is being referred to by one Christian organisation as an “anti-missionary bill”. ‘s Sergey Rakhuba says the the bill “prohibits missionary and evangelistic activity in residential areas of Russia and limits missionaries to acting only on behalf of registered religious . . . Read More

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