A ruling by a Russian court to dissolve the Moscow branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses was illegal, the European Court of Human Rights has said.

RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday that the court ordered Russia to pay $85,000 to members of the movement.

It has been reported that a Moscow district court banned the activities of the organization, which Russia considers a sect, in 2004, saying it encouraged younger members to disown families and neglect civic duties.

The European court in Strasbourg, France, ruling on a countersuit by the Christian-based organization, said that the Russian judgment was based on insufficient grounds and its ruling was "too strict a measure."

Russia has three months to appeal the Court of Human Rights ruling.

RIA Novosti has reported that the Jehovah's Witnesses, founded in the United States at the end of the 19th century, has an estimated 7 million members worldwide. About 300,000 have already been banned in several former Soviet republics. (With Inputs from Agencies)