Russian Jehovah’s Witness sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison

<p>MOSCOW &mdash; The Jehovah’s Witnesses say a member of the religious denomination that is banned in Russia has been sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison, the harshest punishment in scores of cases.</p>
<p>The denomination’s European office said 63-year-old Alexander Ivashin was sentenced on Wednesday in the Krasnodar region of southern Russia. </p>
<p>Authorities said he had conducted religious discussions with friends in another city by video link. Russia banned the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2017 and declared the religious group an extremist organization.</p>
<p>Currently, 46 members are imprisoned and 27 under house arrest, the denomination says.</p>