It's all in the preconditioned JW mindset.
You are a JW rank-and-file publisher and there is a knock on the door. It's three elders who want to discipline (punish) you for not reporting the wrongdoing of a JW to the elders = religious freedom.
You are a JW elder and there is a knock on the door. It's three police officers who want to punish (discipline) you for not reporting the wrongdoing of a JW to the superior authorities = religious persecution.