The Moscow Times's video: Russian Authorities Stage Mass Raids of Jehovah s Witnesses The Moscow Times

Russian authorities have orchestrated raids and arrested Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow and across 20 other regions. The religious group has been banned as an "extremist" organization since 2017, and Russian authorities opened a criminal investigation into the activities of the group's head office from 2019 until the present day. In this video published by Russian authorities Tuesday, police are seen breaking into an apartment where the group allegedly held "secret meetings," “studied religious literature” and “recruited new members.” If found guilty, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison. According to the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, at least 400 members have been charged or convicted in Russia since 2017. The Moscow Times is Russia’s leading independent English-language media outlet. From our Moscow newsroom, we provide readers across the world with breaking news, engaging stories and balanced journalism about the largest country on Earth. Find us at: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/ https://www.facebook.com/MoscowTimes/ https://twitter.com/moscowtimes https://www.instagram.com/themoscowtimes/