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JANUARY 16, 2017
RUSSIA

Russian Appellate Court Dismisses Witnesses’ Appeal Against Warning

Russian Appellate Court Dismisses Witnesses’ Appeal Against Warning

On January 16, 2017, the Moscow City Court dismissed the Witnesses’ appeal that challenged the legality of the Prosecutor General’s warning issued against their national headquarters. The three-judge panel rejected all arguments filed by the Witnesses’ attorneys and rendered its decision after a 10-minute recess. The decision upholds the October 12, 2016, Tverskoy District Court decision that ruled in favor of the Prosecutor General’s Office. The warning, dated March 2, 2016, is now enforceable. However, it is still unclear what implications the warning will have on the Witnesses’ religious freedom in Russia.