Dennis Christensen, the Dane convicted in Russia for being a Jehovah’s Witness, is released after 5 years

A Danish Jehovah’s Witness detained since 2017 in Russia was released Tuesday and is scheduled to leave the country overnight, the US-based evangelical group announced.

“Dennis Christensen was released. Because of his faith, he spent five years behind bars,” reported the Jehovah’s Witnesses it’s a statement.

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Christensen had been sentenced to six years in prison in February 2019 by a court in Orel, 400 kilometers south of Moscow, for belonging to an “extremist organization”. His situation generated convictions around the world.

About 130 people gathered Tuesday in front of the Lgov penal colony in the center of Russiato greet Christensenimmediately transferred to Moscow by immigration services, reported the religious movement.

Christensen – who is married to a Russian woman – was arrested during a prayer ceremony in the city of Oryol in 2017.

Russia considers this evangelical movement, founded in the 19th century, to be a totalitarian sect and in 2017 classified it as an “extremist” organization and decreed its dissolution.

Source: Elcomercio

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