A few hours after the announcement of the sentence on Dennis Christensen, the European External Action Service issued a statement regarding the verdict.
“Today, a Russian court in the city of Oryol sentenced Mr Dennis Christensen, a Danish citizen, to 6 years of imprisonment. Mr Christensen was arrested in 2017 when Federal Security Service agents raided a peaceful religious meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses in Oryol. He has been convicted on grounds of ‘organising extremist activity’, which amounts to exercising his right to freedom of religion as a Jehovah's Witness. A number of other criminal cases against Jehovah’s Witnesses are also currently pending,” says the statement.
“No one should be imprisoned for peaceful acts of worship in the expression of their religious beliefs.” The statement continues, “The European Union expects Mr Christensen to be released immediately and unconditionally.”