The last word of the defendant Alexander Sobyanin in Solikamsk

 Russia

The last word of the defendant Alexander Sobyanin in Solikamsk

August 14 , 2023

Perm Region

In his last speech, the defendant said that all his life he had been looking for answers to his questions and how his life had changed when he found them in the Bible, after which he summed up: "And I honestly can't understand what's wrong with that and why I'm being judged for it."

Transcript of the court session in the Solikamsk City Court of Perm Krai dated 08/14/2023 in the case 1-180/2023 on the charges of Sobyanin Alexander Mikhailovich and others. in committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Sobyanin Alexander Mikhailovich:

I want to start my speech with words of gratitude. I am pleased to see my family, friends and everyone who wants to support me in the courtroom today. This suggests that they are not indifferent to what is happening here now.

I would like to note the efforts and well-coordinated work of all lawyers. I liked their open-minded attitude towards us and me in particular. And, of course, I want to thank Irina Nikolaevna for helping us not only during the preparation for the meetings and at them, but also was always in touch with us. As my wife says: "Without her we would be lost!" Thank you very much, Irina Nikolaevna!

I would also like to note the efforts of the state prosecutor. From the outside it may seem that this is insincere, but in fact it is not. What do I want to praise her for? During the meetings, she had to deal with difficult religious concepts and terms, but she very quickly got her bearings in their correct pronunciation. I especially want to note that the state prosecutor always clearly and competently pronounced the name of God — Jehovah. Hebrew is a complex language, and not many people manage to do it the first time. As a person who has great respect for this name, it was very pleasant for me. Thank you, Natalia Vladimirovna!

And, of course, I cannot ignore the presiding judge. I liked your manner of communication, the ability to build dialogues with us, patience when we did not understand something during the process, as well as humor, which from time to time defused the situation. I understand that this is the first time you are considering a case in which there are so many religious topics, and the defendants are brought before the law not for a crime, but for their religious beliefs. Thank you, Your Honor, for trying to provide a respectful environment during the process and trying to get to the bottom of the matter!

And now I want to tell you how I ended up in the courtroom just because I was always looking for answers to my questions and found them in the Bible.

I want to start my story with events that happened a long time ago, but became decisive in the decisions I made in my life. This happened when I was about 5 years old. At this age, children usually play in the sandbox, ride a bike, and I loved it too. But unlike them, I was asking questions that are not peculiar to children at this age. Namely: why will the time come when my grandmother, my dad, my mom, and eventually I will have to die, whether you want it or not?

These questions did not arise from scratch. We lived on the central street of the city, where funeral processions took place quite often. I was an impressionable child and couldn't just turn away from the picture of what was happening. I was saddened and at the same time frightened by this prospect. And, of course, I asked these questions to my parents, they were at a loss and could not answer them. I grew up further, but the questions remained and did not give me peace. New ones have been added to them.

Political information was held at the school, where it was said about the confrontation of countries with nuclear weapons. We were told that our country was not lagging behind. It caused me fear, because I saw that it could not lead to anything good. Is it possible to achieve peace by increasing military power? After all, even before I became a believer, I understood that violence always begets violence. My grandmother couldn't answer these questions either, even though she went to church all her life.

One day I had the opportunity to find answers to the questions that were bothering me. I was on the bus and heard a conversation between two women, one of whom, as I learned later, professed the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. She talked about what happens at death, why suffering happens, what to expect from the future, and I wanted to know more. When I became convinced that the Bible is a book from God, that it can be trusted, that God is loving and caring — after all, it was thanks to the Bible that Jehovah gave exhaustive answers to my questions — I decided to serve such a God. And I have never doubted and do not doubt the correctness of the decision I made.

Life in today's world is like living for rent. Everything we use today is temporary, because life, unfortunately, is fleeting. No matter how good health, resources and opportunities we have, we have to accept the sad reality that in the end we will have to die. This is a fact.

When I learned from the Bible about the hope of living forever on earth without suffering, I wanted to live in accordance with the norms and the plan of almighty God. One of the yearbooks of Jehovah's Witnesses described a case that occurred in the USSR (at that time they were persecuted for their faith, considered spies): "Their boss, a KGB officer, came to me, sat down opposite me, looked at me and asked if I was convinced of what I was defending. I gave him a brief testimony and told him I was ready to die for it. He said, "You're a lucky man. If I was convinced that this was true, then I am ready not to be in prison for 3 or 5 years, but to stand on one leg in prison for 60 years." Then he paused, thought about it and continued: "After all, this is eternal life! Can you imagine what eternal life is?" He paused again and said, "Go home!" These words gave me strength. I was sure that it was Jehovah who had strengthened me."

Such words, even from the mouth of a law enforcement officer, show how priceless the prospect of eternal life is. Especially for me, a person who has been looking for answers to his questions for so long. And I honestly can't understand what's wrong with that and why I'm being judged for it. After all, all the trials were devoted to the fact that the religious beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, which are not prohibited by law, were investigated and how services are conducted: religious songs are performed, prayers are said, the Bible or non-prohibited religious articles are read and discussed in electronic form. I can say with confidence that my motive was solely a desire to share this perspective with others, and not to continue the activities of a prohibited legal entity. There was no hatred or enmity in my words. There has never even been such a word as "MRO". Therefore, I was motivated by a burning desire to tell people about this hope. This is not extremism, this is love for others.

For example: is it possible to forbid a person to love? If you have a wife and you love her, then your love will somehow be expressed. You will live together, give flowers, say compliments, go on vacation, etc. So believers come together to express their love for God. If you have chosen this woman as your wife, then, of course, you recognize the superiority of this woman over others, she is very valuable to you personally. So it is with religion, if a person has chosen it for himself, then he considers it important and wants to live according to biblical laws. It's an expression of love.

After becoming a Jehovah's Witness, I stopped feeling fear of the future. I am no longer bothered by the thought that one morning I will wake up to the sound of a siren due to a nuclear strike. Thanks to the Bible, I learned that almighty God is in control of the situation and will not allow this to happen.

History shows that war begins not on the battlefield, but in the minds of people. Therefore, the words from the Bible seemed logical to me: "They will turn their swords into plows and spears into sickles. The nations will not go at each other with a sword and will no longer learn to fight." This is the recipe for lasting peace. The purpose of my conversations with friends is to help me learn to show a peaceful attitude in both everyday and stressful situations, and not to recruit into the activities of a prohibited legal entity for which I am being tried, but of which I have never been a member.

In conclusion, I would like to express my confidence that our judicial system can be a source of justice and a guarantor of compliance with the laws, rights and freedoms of its citizens. I ask you to be honest in this process and make the only right decision against me — to fully justify me for lack of motives and corpus delicti.

Summary of the case

Region:

Perm Krai

Locality:

Solikamsk

What is suspected:

"he directly participated in religious meetings... discussed with followers issues and topics of a religious nature" (from the decision on bringing as an accused)

Criminal case number:

12002570024000055

Initiated:

July 27, 2020

Current stage of the case:

proceedings in the court of first instance

Investigates:

SO in Solikamsk SU IC RF in Perm Krai

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Case number in court:

1-180/2023

Court of First Instance:

Solikamsk City Court of Perm Krai

Judge of the Court of First instance:

Evgeny Sergeev