Jehovah's Witness to be prosecuted for sexually abusing and raping a minor 20 years ago

A 48-year-old man from Assen will be prosecuted for the sexual abuse and rape of a minor within the Jehovah's Witness community. The sexual abuse allegedly took place in the period from 1993 to 1997, the Public Prosecution service (OM) said.

The man is also accused of having committed lewd acts in 2016 with a victim who was 8 years old at the time. The man must appear in court later this year, the OM Oost-Nederland confirmed on Wednesday, following earlier reports by the Dagblad van het Noorden.

In the context of the investigation into the alleged sexual abuse by Jehovah's Witnesses, investigators raided the headquarters of the church organization in Emmen, several homes of religious elders and the religion's Kingdom Halls in Assen and Dordrecht in 2018. The OM searched for documents from judicial committees that are organized by Jehovah's Witnesses when a member of the religious community is accused of child sexual abuse.

The Jehovah's Witnesses then filed a lawsuit accusing the government of ignoring the legal privilege of religious servants. The issue of legal privilege was examined by lower courts, and eventually made its way to the Supreme Court. Only in specific cases, when providing spiritual care to a member of the congregation, do Jehovah's Witnesses have a right of nondisclosure, the court ruled.

The Public Prosecution Service has returned the documents seized in this case. "Even without these documents, the Public Prosecution Service is of the opinion that there is sufficient reason to submit the case to the criminal court."