Russia is trying to declare the Jehovah’s Witnesses sect as an ‘extremist group’, a case that has ended up before the country’s Supreme Court.

The restrictive Eastern European state’s Justice Department applied for a permit to shut down the Witnesses’ headquarters in St Petersburg, claiming the organisation is ‘extremist’.

Reuters reports the court would convene in April to hear the case, and would have final say on whether the group qualifies to be dubbed an extremist one under a controversial 2006 law.

Russian authorities have been on the warpath with the group for a long time. Many of its landmark publications are banned in the country and officials deem the group ‘a pernicious cult’, according to the news agency.

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The Jehovah’s Witnesses, which revel in door to door proselytising campaigns and have harsh means of dealing with dissenters, have denied the charge – it is estimated to have around 175,000 members in Russia.

“Millions of believers all over the world consider the ministry’s actions a big mistake,” the Russian branch of Jehovah’s Witnesses said in a statement.

“If this lawsuit is successful, it will entail catastrophic consequences for freedom of religious worship in Russia.”