The Rights of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia and Beyond: The Role of the European Court of Human Rights
This article briefly discusses the history of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, focusing on their early decisions to use legal systems to defend themselves and expand their rights to practice their faith. Their legal successes in the United States and Canada in establishing religious...
| Published in: | The journal of CESNUR |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
[2020]
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| In: |
The journal of CESNUR
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
USA
/ Canada
/ Jehovah's Witnesses
/ Religious freedom
/ Jurisdiction
/ Europäischer Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte
/ Russia
|
| RelBib Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy AZ New religious movements KBA Western Europe KBK Europe (East) XA Law ZC Politics in general |
| Further subjects: | B
Vigilante Litigation
B Article 9 of European Human Rights Convention B margin of appreciation B Conscientious Objection B Rule 41 B European Court of Human Rights B Disciplined Litigation B Jehovah’s Witnesses B Kokkinakis B Human Rights in Russia |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Resolving-System) |
| Summary: | This article briefly discusses the history of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, focusing on their early decisions to use legal systems to defend themselves and expand their rights to practice their faith. Their legal successes in the United States and Canada in establishing religious freedom rights are summarized before examining the role played in the expansion of religious freedom in Europe through cases won in the European Court of Human Rights. Witnesses cases have also expanded the purview and influence of the courts systems in various Western societies. ECtHR has taken on special meaning with dozens of cases filed recently against Russia. The Russian government, with the blessing of its court system, has dissolved all Witnesses organizations, confiscated millions of dollars in property, harassed innumerable Witnesses families, and incarcerated dozens of Witnesses for alleged violations of statutes dealing with extremism. How the ECtHR will deal with these recent cases will reveal much about the future of the Court, and of the Council of Europe, especially if Russia refuses to honor any decisions that are rendered against it. |
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| ISSN: | 2532-2990 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The journal of CESNUR
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.26338/tjoc.2020.4.6.5 |