Prosecutor General threatens to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses based on false media reports

JW Europe Office of Public Information (01.04.2022) — Jehovah’s Witnesses are gravely concerned that on Wednesday, March 30, the Prosecutor General’s Office issued a press statement threatening to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses in Latvia solely on the basis of disinformation published in two TVNET stories.

 

TVNET did not contact Jehovah’s Witnesses before publishing these unfounded allegations made by former Witnesses. Had they done so, they would have been provided with truthful and easily verifiable information supported by reputable scholars and decisions of international courts. Legal options against the defamatory and untrue statements and those who disseminated them are being considered.

 

These baseless attacks are reminiscent of the disinformation that Russia used to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses and persecute them, actions which have brought international reproach on the Russian government. On December 17, 2021, Latvia was among the cosignatories of a Joint Statement issued by the U.S. Department of State which expressed “grave concern” for the harassment and discrimination that Jehovah’s Witnesses face in some countries.

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses are extremely concerned that these baseless attacks will create a wave of religious intolerance against innocent citizens. They hope that the government will see to it that this gross injustice is rectified.

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a well-known Christian religion worshipping in over 200 countries. They are known as law-abiding citizens and an asset to Latvian society.

 

Photo: JW Europe Office