11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Members of the Jehovah's Witnesses were in a few instances victims of discrimination ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23712]

"There were a few instances of societal abuse and discrimination against members of Jehovah's Witnesses who refused for religious reasons to join local age-grade associations or women's associations. Communities in Abia State sometimes ostracized Jehovah's Witnesses, denying them the right to sell goods in the public market or to retrieve water from the public tap."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Jehovah's Witnesses are generally accepted in society; however, there are isolated cases of societal abuse ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21261]

"While members of Jehovah's Witnesses freely practiced their religion and were generally accepted in society, there were isolated cases of societal abuse of Witnesses who chose not to participate in local age grade associations for religious reasons."

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

A few instances of discrimination against members of Jehovah's Witnesses who refused to join local age-grade associations or women's associations for religious reasons ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21433]

"There were a few instances of societal abuse and discrimination against members of Jehovah's Witnesses who refused to join local age-grade associations or women's associations for religious reasons. As in the past, communities in Abia State sometimes ostracized these Witnesses, denying them the right to sell goods in the public market or to retrieve water from the public tap. At the end of the reporting period, the Director of Public Prosecution reportedly had not prosecuted persons accused of assaulting Jehovah's Witnesses (which resulted in the death of one member) who refused to join a women's association in Abia State in 2003. There were also unconfirmed reports that several communities in Abia State seized or destroyed the property of Jehovah's Witnesses who for religious reasons refused to pay a fee levied by the community for the identification of witches."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Government did not react on a petition for aid brought forward by Jehovah's Witnesses whose homes and worship center were distroyed in 2005 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19740]

"During the year local authorities in Abia State were presented with a petition by members of Jehovah's Witnesses who were victimized in June 2005 when their worship center and the homes of 24 families were destroyed. The petition requested aid in rebuilding and the arrest of the perpetrators. The government took no action on the request."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Generally Jehovah's Witnesses are accepted in society; there were isolated cases of societal abuse ("International Religious Freedom Report 2006") [ID 17746]

"While members of Jehovah's Witnesses freely practiced their religion and were generally accepted in society, there were isolated cases of societal abuse of Witnesses who chose not to participate in local age-grade associations for religious reasons. On September 6, 2005, in Imo state, a female Witness was assaulted by a mob of women who pulled off her dress for refusing to be a member of their association. Several other Witnesses were assaulted in other incidents and had property looted for not paying a women's association levy. Although in some instances police were able to broker an agreement, no arrests were made. In Abia state, Witnesses who chose not to participate in local age-grade associations for religious reasons were in some instances ostracized by the community, denied the right to sell goods in the public market, and denied water from the public tap. According to several eyewitnesses, on November 11, 2005, members of the Eleghawa Age-Grade Association of Asafa Ohafia looted the home of a Jehovah's Witnesses husband and wife, taking all their belongings. Although the perpetrators were identified, police made no arrests. On June 21, 2005, villagers in Isiugwu Ohafia Community in Abia state reportedly destroyed the Kingdom Hall, and attacked the homes of twenty-four Jehovah's Witnesses families. More than seventy persons remain displaced from their homes. Despite formal petitions by the families for an investigation and the prosecution of the perpetrators, police made no arrests."

Document(s): Open document