MOSCOW, April 5. /TASS/. The Russian Supreme Court refused to adjudicate a claim by Jehovah’s Witnesses on recognizing the organization as a victim of political repression by the Russian Justice Ministry, a TASS correspondent reports.

Earlier in the day, the Russian Supreme Court began hearings on the Justice Ministry’s appeal to ban the activities of the Jehovah’s Witnesses Managerial Center in Russia as extremist.

Jehovah’s Witnesses filed a counterclaim demanding to recognize the ministry’s actions as political repression.

The Supreme Court decided that the counterclaim could not be reviewed during this session, as it was filed in an inappropriate court. "The court ruled to reject the counterclaim taking into account the fact that the party violated the jurisdiction rules," the judge announced.

The court hearing

Russia’s Supreme Court has refused to let 395 local chapters of Jehovah’s Witnesses participate in the hearings on the Ministry of Justice’s demand the organization be outlawed nationwide, a TASS correspondent reports from the courtroom

The Supreme Court on Wednesday started hearings on the Justice Ministry’s demand the Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia should be closed down and outlawed. The Justice Ministry also demands the elimination of all 395 local chapters of Jehovah’s Witnesses and confiscation of their assets.