On September 3, 2020 it is held a seminar organized by CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions), Vytautas Magnus University, Vilnius, Lithuania, and New Religions Research and Information Center, Vilnius, Lithuania.
The Seminar is conducted via Zoom.
Session 1 – 10.30 a.m. – 12 a.m.
A Global Phenomenon
Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Atlas of Religious or Belief Minority Rights: First Data – Silvio FERRARI, University of Milan
Why Opposition to Jehovah’s Witnesses? – George CHRYSSIDES, University of Birmingham
Jehovah’s Witnesses and Their Opponents in Lithuania – Milda ALIŠAUSKIENĖ, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas
12 a.m. – 12.15 a.m. Q&A
Session 2 – 12.15 a.m. – 1.45 p.m.
Russia, a “Special” Case?
Opposition to Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia: Cultural Roots – Rosita ŠORYTĖ, European Federation for Freedom of Belief, Vilnius
Opposition to Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia: Legal Measures – Willy FAUTRÉ, Human Rights Without Frontiers, Brussels
Opposition to Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia: The Anti-Cult Context – Sergey IVANENKO, Scientific Council of the Guild of Experts in Religion and Law, Moscow
1.45 pm – 2.30 pm Break
Session 3 – 2.30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Beyond Russia
The USCIRF Report on the Anti-cult Ideology, and the NGOs Open Letter on the Situation in Russia – Alessandro AMICARELLI, attorney, London, president of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB)
The Rights of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia and Beyond: The Role of the European Court of Human Rights – James T. RICHARDSON, University of Nevada, Reno
Opposition to Jehovah’s Witnesses in the U.S. – J. Gordon MELTON, Baylor University, Waco, Texas
4 p.m. – 4.15 p.m. Q&A
Session 4 – 4.15 p.m. – 5.45 p.m.
Affiliation, Disaffiliation, Sexual Abuse
Affiliation to Jehovah’s Witness: A Research Note – Raffaella DI MARZIO, LIREC (Center for Studies on Freedom of Belief, Religion and Conscience), Rome, Italy.
Jehovah’s Witnesses, Relations with Ex-Members, Sexual Abuse: What Are the Issues? – Massimo INTROVIGNE (CESNUR, Center for Studies on New Religions, Torino, Italy)
Jehovah’s Witnesses and Sexual Abuse: The Dutch and Belgian Reports – Holly FOLK, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington Texas
Q&A
Conclusions: Bernadette RIGAL-CELLARD, University of Bordeaux Montaigne, France
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