Russian Justice Ministry's Moscow branch seeks to shut down Jewish Agency for Israel; trial to begin on July 28 - court

MOSCOW. July 21 (Interfax) - Moscow's Basmanny District Court will consider a request by the Moscow branch of the Russian Justice Ministry to shut down the Jewish Agency for Israel, an autonomous non-profit organization dealing with repatriation to Israel, in late July.

"The court received an administrative lawsuit filed by the Moscow branch of the Russian Justice Ministry to shut down and remove from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities the autonomous non-profit organization 'Jewish Agency for Israel 'Sohnut' which provides support for relations with the Jewish community. The court hearing of this lawsuit has been scheduled for July 28," court spokesperson Yekaterina Buravtsova told Interfax.

The court explained to Interfax that the Justice Ministry's claims are associated with the organization's violation of Russian law in carrying out its activities.

According to publicly available data, the Jewish Agency for Israel, an international organization that is engaged in ensuring ties between Jews around the world, as well as repatriation issues, was founded in 1929. The Jewish Agency for Israel offices have been operating in Russia since 1989.

Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli newspaper Walla reported, citing its sources, that Israel had asked Russia for explanations due to the situation surrounding the Jewish Agency for Israel and its activities in Russia.