Human Rights Committee
Views adopted by the Committee under article 5 (4) of the Optional Protocol, concerning communication No. 2925/2017 * , ** , ***
Communication submitted by:Vladimir Yurlov, Naran Beklyaev and Ilya Nesterov (represented by counsel, Shane H. Brady and Anton Omelchenko)
Alleged victim s :The authors
State party:Russian Federation
Date of communication:30 December 2016 (initial submission)
Document references:Decision taken pursuant to rule 92 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, transmitted to the State party on 6 January 2017 (not issued in document form)
Date of adoption of Views:24 October 2023
Subject matter:Dissolution of a local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses for distribution of publications banned as extremist
Procedural issue s :Exhaustion of domestic remedies; substantiation of claims; admissibility ratione personae
Substantive issues:Cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of association; discrimination on the ground of religion; minority rights
Articles of the Covenant:7, 18 (1) and (3), 22 (1) and (2), 26 and 27
Articles of the Optional Protocol:1, 2 and 5 (2) (b)
1.1 The authors of the communication are Vladimir Yurlov, Naran Beklyaev and Ilya Nesterov, nationals of the Russian Federation born in 1965, 1988 and 1992, respectively. They claim that the State party has violated their rights under articles 7, 18 (1) and (3), 22 (1) and (2), 26 and 27 of the Covenant. The Optional Protocol entered into force for the State party on 1 January 1992. The authors are represented by counsel. …