Ngo-June 26, 2014, iNkantolo YaseYurophu Yamalungelo Abantu (i-ECHR) ikhiphe isinqumo esivuna oFakazi BakaJehova nelungelo labo lokukhulekela ngaphandle kokuphazanyiswa ngokungemthetho yiziphathimandla zaseRussia. Esinqumweni sayo, iNkantolo ithole ukuthi iRussia iphule iSiphakamiso 5 (ilungelo lenkululeko nokulondeka) no-9 (inkululeko yokucabanga, kanembeza nengokwenkolo) seSivumelwano SaseYurophu Samalungelo Abantu (iSivumelwano) lapho amaphoyisa engena ngendlov’ iyangena futhi ephazamisa umhlangano wenkolo ngokusesha engenamvume ngobusuku bango-April 12, 2006.

Ngalobo busuku, oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke babebuthene ndawonye bezokhumbula ukufa kukaJesu Kristu kwaminyaka yonke. Amabandla amabili eMoscow ayeqashe ihholo lesikole ayezoqhubela kulo lo mhlangano okhethekile futhi elindele ukuba kube khona abangaphezu kuka-400. Ngesikhathi lo mhlangano uqhubeka, kwafika amaphoyisa ahlomile ngezimoto zamaphoyisa eziyishumi namatekisi amabili kanye neqembu elihlomile le-Special Police Force (OMON) namanye amaphoyisa amaningi agqoke iyunifomu. Ngokushesha avimbezela isakhiwo futhi aphazamisa lowo mhlangano ngaphandle kwemvume. Ayala bonke ababekhona ukuba baphume, abe esesesha ihholo, ashaqa izincwadi futhi athatha abalisa abangu-14 abayisa esiteshini samaphoyisa abavalela. Ummeli owabizwa ukuba azomelela lab’ oFakazi abavalelwe wafika esiteshini samaphoyisa ezobasiza. Amaphoyisa amsesha, amlahla phansi, ambeka ummese entanyeni futhi amesabisa ngokuthi uma eke wafaka isikhalazo, umndeni wakhe uzoba sengozini. Ngemva kwamahora amane, labo ababevalelwe badedelwa baya emakhaya.

UNikolay Krupko, nabanye oFakazi abathathu ayevalelwe nabo, bamangalela iziphathimandla ngokuphazamisa umhlangano wabo nangokubavalela ngokungemthetho. Ngemva kokuba iNkantolo Yesifunda YaseLyublino neyaseMoscow zichithe isikhalazo sabo, la madoda afaka isikhalazo sawo kuyi-ECHR ngo-June 2007.

Esinqumweni sayo sangomhla ka-26 June ecaleni lika-Krupko Nabanye v. Russia, i-ECHR yathi: “Kaningi iNkantolo ithole ukuthi, ngisho nasezimweni lapho iziphathimandla zingazange zitshelwe ngokuqondile ngesenzakalo esithile somphakathi kodwa ababekhona kuso bengazange badale umonakalo ophazamisa umphakathi, ukuhlakaza kwamaphoyisa umhlangano onokuthula akunakubhekwa ‘njengokufanelekile emphakathini obuswa ngentando yeningi.’ . . . Lokhu kusebenza nakakhulu kuyo le ndaba ngoba lo mhlangano wawungenasiyaluyalu kodwa wawungumkhosi obalulekile ongokwenkolo ehholo lomhlangano, owawungahloselwe ukuphazamisa ukuthula komphakathi. Ukufika kwamaphoyisa amaningi ahlomile ezophazamisa lo mhlangano, ngisho noma iziphathimandla zazikholelwa ngobuqotho ukuthi ukungatshelwa ngawo kusengaphambili kuwukwephula umthetho, kanye nokuboshwa kwabamangalelwa nokuvalelwa kwabo amahora amathathu ngoba ethi avikela ukuthula komphakathi, kwakuwukweqisa.”

Lesi isinqumo sesine esakhishwa ngokumelene neRussia ngenxa yokwephula amalungelo oFakazi BakaJehova. Esinqumweni sango-2007 esakhishwa ecaleni lika-Kuznetsov Nabanye v. Russia, i-ECHR yathi iRussia iphule iSivumelwano lapho iziphathimandla zayo ziphazamisa umhlangano wabayizithulu woFakazi eChelyabinsk ngokungemthetho. Ngo-2010, i-ECHR yakhipha isinqumo esilahla iRussia ecaleni loFakazi BakaJehova baseMoscow v. Russia. Lapho, iHhovisi LikaMshushisi LaseMoscow ngokungemthetho lavala futhi lachitha ukuqashelwa koFakazi ngokusemthethweni eMoscow. Ngo-2013, i-ECHR yakhipha isinqumo ecaleni lika-Avilkina Nabanye v. Russia, yathi iRussia iphule amalungelo ayisisekelo okugcinwa kokwaziswa okuyimfihlo ngesikhathi iHhovisi LikaMshushisi LaseSt. Petersburg liyala ukuba kwambulwe ukwaziswa okuyimfihlo okuphathelene nezindlela zokwelapha.

Izinqumo ze-ECHR zinikeza izizathu ezengeziwe zokuthi iziphathimandla zaseRussia, emizamweni yazo yokucindezela ukukhulekela koFakazi BakaJehova eRussia, ziphule inkululeko yabo egunyazwe uMthetho-sisekelo WoMbuso WaseRussia neSivumelwano.