MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd August, 2018) Finland is rejecting asylum applications of over 200 Russian members of the Jehovah's Witnesses extremist religious organization (banned in Russia), with the country's migration service having explained the refusal to grant asylum by the absence of persecution risk for the individuals in Russia, Juha Simila, the head of the Asylum Unit of the Finnish Immigration Service, said on Wednesday.
Early on Wednesday, media reported that over 200 members of the Russian branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization had applied for asylum in Finland.
"Taking into account the information about the country, we cannot conclude that in Russia all [the members of] Jehovah's Witnesses are threatened with serious persecution. In Russia systematical persecution of all Jehovah's Witnesses does not exist ... We are aware of the complicated situation, every particular case is being examined," Simila said in an interview with Lannen Media holding.
He added that the Finnish Immigration Service had considered about 10 applications, with the majority of them having been rejected.
In April 2017, the Russian Supreme Court ruled to suspend the activities of the Russian branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization and affiliated local religious groups. In August 2017, the Russian Justice Ministry listed the organization among non-governmental organizations disbanded for spreading extremism.
