BELGIUM: Unia says Anti-Discrimination Act forbids shunning or targeting former believers
A religious group should never subject apostate members to a “shunning policy”, often with very damaging consequences for the family ties of the people involved. In connection with this, the court of first instance in Ghent sentenced the non-profit organization Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses to a fine of 96,000 euros for inciting discrimination and […]
BELGIUM: Jehovah’s Witnesses respond to Ghent Ruling
On March 16, the Court of First Instance in Ghent ruled against the “Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses” in Belgium with regard to the application of the biblical norm of ceasing or limiting contacts with an excommunicated person or having made the decision to voluntarily withdraw from the group. For the first time since the […]
BELGIUM: Jehovah’s Witnesses Convicted of “Shunning Policy”
The non-profit organization behind the Jehovah’s Witnesses has been convicted of inciting discrimination and hatred or violence against former members who chose to leave the faith community. The court in Ghent has decided this. Jehovah’s Witnesses are fined €96,000. “The religious rules are not above the law in our society,” emphasizes the judge. Originally published […]
BELGIUM: Jehovah’s Witnesses fined 96,000 euros for inciting hate
The non-profit organization behind the Jehovah’s Witnesses is guilty of inciting discrimination and hatred or violence against ex-members who have left the community. The organization will be fined 96,000 euros, the Ghent criminal court ruled on Tuesday. Originally published on Nieuwsblad on March 16, 2021 A former member of Jehovah’s Witnesses went to the Ghent […]
ARGENTINA: Jehovah’s Witnesses remain silent in a child sexual abuse trial
Elders of a congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Santa Elena opted for silence and secrecy in a trial that followed Matías Vargas and Luciano Vito Panza, two members of that religious congregation, accused of aggravated sexual abuse and corruption of minors to the detriment of two young people. Originally published by EntreRíosYA on March 11, […]
SPAIN: Supreme Court says religions cannot keep all personal data of members who leave
Before a request for total deletion of data, a proportional judgment must be made against the right of conservation. Article previously published in Spanish on Confilegal by Irene Casanueva on March 13, 2021 A religious group has the right to keep personal data of a person who leaves the religion when it is necessary for […]
BRAZIL: Sexual abuse, Heresy & Social Control in Jehovah’s Witnesses
Original published on GospelPrime on March 3, 2021 by Michael Caceres “It was like a house of cards that has collapsed,” says a former cult elder. For 40 years of his life, António Madaleno, born in Portugal, was part of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which he defines as a “cult”. He was just one year old when […]
Netherlands: Sander Huls Leaves Jehovah’s Witnesses and Shares His Experience
Originally published on NPO Radio 1 on March 3, 2021 They don’t vote, don’t celebrate birthdays, refuse blood transfusions, but are best known for their ‘field service’; the foot in the door. The Netherlands has about 30,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses. Sander Huls was one of them, but left the religious group about 7 years ago. Sander shares his experiences on […]
USA: Jehovah’s Witnesses Sawmill Destroyed by Fire
A fire broke out at the sawmills at Watchtower Farms in WallKill, New York on Friday. Three separate fire departments in the region spent most of the afternoon fighting the blaze. Wood stored at the saw mill was used for the farm’s agricultural operation and has been in use since the 1960’s. The fire consumed […]