A Moscow court has approved the confiscation of 123 real estate properties linked to Jehovah’s Witnesses, handing ownership of the assets over to the Russian government.
The court service in Moscow announced the decision on Friday, stating that the seized properties consist of 63 residential and commercial buildings, along with 60 parcels of land.
The buildings cover more than 11,000 square metres, while the land spans about 5.6 hectares. The properties were reportedly owned by the Swedish branch of the religious organisation.
Jehovah’s Witnesses were outlawed in Russia in 2017 after authorities classified the group as an “extremist organisation.” However, the European Court of Human Rights later ruled in 2022 that the ban violated the group’s rights.
Since the ban was imposed, several members of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia have faced prosecution and imprisonment over allegations of extremist activities.
Human rights advocates, including groups monitoring developments in Crimea, have criticised the crackdown, saying it breaches Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects freedom of religion, belief, and conscience.