Jehovah’s Witnesses React as Russian Authorities Seize 123 Properties
- A Moscow district court ruled on July 31, 2026, that 123 properties linked to Jehovah's Witnesses must be transferred to the Russian government
- The seized properties were owned by legal entities registered across seven European countries, including Austria, Denmark, Finland and Sweden
- Jehovah's Witnesses reacted to the ruling, lamenting the continuing pattern of arrests targeting members for practising their faith
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Moscow, Russia -The Jehovah’s Witnesses have reacted to the Kuzminskiy District Court of Moscow ruling that 123 properties belonging to the religious body must be confiscated and transferred to the Russian Federation.
Legit.ng reports that the Kuzminskiy District Court of Moscow gave the ruling on July 31, 2026, marking the latest move in a years-long crackdown on the religious group inside the country.
Source: Getty Images
The hearing saw a government prosecutor claim, without substantiation, that the buildings could be used to "support extremist activity or an extremist organisation."
After briefly reviewing the evidence, the presiding judge ruled in favour of the State.
The properties involved were registered to legal entities that Jehovah's Witnesses had established in Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.
Reacting to the latest ruling and prosecution of its members, the group said Jehovah will never abandon their brothers and sisters in Russia and Crimea.
In a statement via its website, Jehovah’s Witnesses said they will continue to pray for them and the lord will reward their faithful endurance.
Background to Russia's crackdown
The roots of the current persecution stretch back to April 2017, when Russia's Supreme Court liquidated 395 local religious organisations belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses.
Following that ban, the government began seizing property that had been registered to those entities, including Kingdom Halls and other buildings used for peaceful religious gatherings.
The July 31 order is the latest in a series of asset seizures carried out since the 2017 ruling, as authorities continue to strip the group of physical infrastructure across the country.
Beyond property, Russian authorities have detained and imprisoned hundreds of Jehovah's Witnesses on charges related to activities such as discussing the Bible or sharing religious beliefs with others.
The imprisoned include elderly individuals and those with serious health conditions.
The organisation has described the persecution as systematic, spanning close to a decade, and says members in both Russia and Crimea continue to face severe restrictions on their ability to practise their faith.
"As we continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Russia and Crimea, we remain confident that Jehovah will never abandon them and will reward their faithful endurance.—Hebrews 10:34."
Source: Getty Images
Why Jehovah's Witnesses don't preach door-to-door like before
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that a former Jehovah's Witness sparked a major conversation online by explaining why the group's famous door-to-door preaching noticeably declined.
According to the ex-member, the organisation implemented a policy regarding how members report their "field service" activities.
Her comment on the reason Jehovah's Witnesses stopped door-to-door evangelism sparked buzz on social media.
Source: Legit.ng
