Copenhagen Expresses Concern Over Danish Jehovah’s Witness Jailed in Russia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen expressed on Wednesday concern over a Russian court sentencing Danish national Dennis Ole Christensen to six years in prison for his affiliation to the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses*.

"Deeply concerned by the sentencing of Dennis Christensen. Again call on Russia to respect freedom of religion. Danish MFA will continue to follow closely and assist Dennis Christensen should he decide to appeal", the minister tweeted.

READ MORE: Jehovah's Witnesses Refuse to Cooperate With Dutch Police in Sexual Abuse Case

In turn, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov promised to look into the situation with Christensen.

"I, unfortunately, don't know the details, so I can't answer that question. I'll look into it," Peskov told reporters when asked about the Dane being charged with extremism.

At the same time, he suggested that investigators had serious reasons for such charges.

Earlier in the day, the court of the Russian city of Oryol convicted Christensen, who continued to head the community after it had been banned by the national legislation, of illegal religious activity.

In April 2017, the Russian Supreme Court labeled Jehovah's Witnesses an extremist organisation and banned its activities in the country. Christensen was detained in May 2017.

* Jehovah’s Witnesses is a religious group banned in Russia