Relatives of the Sochi Jehovah's Witness* criticize verdict

The constitution guarantees the freedom of religion in Russia, but law enforcers present the case like Jehovah's Witnesses* read extremist literature, relatives of Danil Suvorov, convicted under an extremism case, have pointed out.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on June 20, a court in Sochi sentenced Danil Suvorov, a Jehovah's Witness*, to six years of freedom deprivation finding him to be as a member of an extremist organization. The convict asserts that he was only talking about his faith.

According to investigators, Suvorov, "by using his authority as a spiritual leader," had persuaded Jehovah's Witnesses* to participate in certain activities.

"The court for his right to administer his faith, enshrined in the Russian Constitution, has deprived him of the opportunity to meet his love, get married and have children ... His only 'crime' is in reading the Bible," Gulnara, Suvorov's mother, has stated.

She believes that the Russian constitution protects citizens' right to worship, but law enforcers are ignoring the laws.

Reading the Bible is not a crime either in Russia or in any other country in the world, because it does not carry the danger of violence, said Sergey Yanovsky, an advocate.

A person has the right to read the Bible, since the right to the freedom of religion is enshrined in the Constitution. But law enforcers during the investigation are trying to make it look like the person was reading not just the Bible, but extremist literature, Yaroslav Sivulsky, a member of the European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses*, has explained.

*396 Russian organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses are recognized as extremist, and their activities in Russia are banned by court's decision.