March 16 (UPI) -- The Russian Justice Ministry filed a request with the nation's supreme court to classify the national headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses as an extremist organization, potentially endangering 175,000 practitioners of the religion in the country.

Jehovah's Witnesses first filed to be a recognized religion, a requirement in Russia, in 1991. They were granted renewal in 1999, according to the group's international website. Despite the official recognition, Jehovah's Witness groups have faced periodic harassment by local law enforcement.

The filing was released Thursday but is not dated and has not been scheduled for legal action, USA Today reported. It was confirmed by RAPSI, the Russian Legal Information Agency.

Russian officials raided the group's national headquarters in February and confiscated a reported 70,000 documents that were turned over to the Russian General Prosecutor's office.

Local prosecutors have likened the religion to a cult and have called it a danger to Russian families.