A Russian newspaper reports that the community opposition to blood transfusions has killed 18 people, including eight children. Two investigations opened in Kogalym and Moscow.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The refusal of blood transfusions by Jehovah's Witnesses has killed 18 people, including eight children. This is the accusation against the religious community, for years the object of persecution and discrimination in Russia, that appeared on the pages of Komsomolskaya Pravda. The newspaper, the most widely read in the Federation, tells the story of of these deaths. According to the newspaper, the authorities have already opened investigations into the death of two children: one in Kogalym the other in Moscow.

The mother of the boy who died in Kogalym has declared her innocence. "I just wanted to better care for my son! – she told the Russian newspaper - I told the doctors that blood is not a drug that people get infected by blood. "

The woman could face at most one year in prison, but more likely will be punished by a fine.

After opening the case to Kogalym, the prosecutor's office has ordered a search of the local community of Jehovah's Witnesses, during which banned books were confiscated: the organization is accused of being an "extremist sect "having" having an unfriendly attitude towards other churches, "of refusing military service”, although the Constitution allows the alternative civilian service.

For years, Jehovah's Witnesses report being subject to persecution similar to that of Stalin. Several Russian courts have banned many of their publications and outlawed their activities (See AsiaNews.it, 17/09/2009, "Court in Rostov bans Jehovah’s Witnesses for being religious extremists" and 05/10/2009, "Altai court condemns Jehovah’s Witnesses for “extremism"). Assaults and vandalism against the community are becoming more frequent. The organization is also accused of "the violation of the rights of non-believers" through "attempts to enter their homes to preach and perform intrusive activities of evangelization."