Maria Kuznetsova's last word in Yaroslavl

 Russia

Maria Kuznetsova's last word in Yaroslavl

July 7, 2023

Yaroslavl region

"My views are directly opposite to what is called extremism," the defendant said, speaking with the last word. "I am not being tried for any crime, but only because I believe in God, whose name is Jehovah."

Transcript of the court session in the Dzerzhinsky District Court of Yaroslavl dated 07.07.2023 in the case 1-7/2023 (1-387/2022) on charges of Kuznetsova Maria Sergeevna and others. in committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Kuznetsova Maria Sergeevna:

Your Honor, thank you for the opportunity to deliver the last word. I would also like to express my gratitude to you for your patience, for the respectful, calm atmosphere that was throughout the trial. You made sure that everything was organized. Also thank you for showing sympathy when my husband got sick, giving him the opportunity to be examined and treated. Many thanks to the court secretary, Maya Alekseevna, for her kindness and politeness. Thank you to the State Prosecutor Irina Alexandrovna for her open-mindedness and respectful attitude towards us.

Thanks to all our lawyers, Aysel Tarlanovna, Nune Arturovna, Larisa Mikhailovna, for their protection and professional assistance in this case. You have always spoken words of encouragement to us. I want to express my gratitude to my family, who, despite the distances, have supported my husband and me in every way for more than two years. I am also grateful to our friends who always, in any weather, were with us, encouraged us and helped us to maintain a positive attitude.

I am accused of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This is a very serious accusation. But what was established during the investigation? In fact, the totality of the evidence presented in the case includes only that I profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses: I sang songs with my husband, discussed the Bible and prayed to Jehovah God. Is this a crime? No. All my actions, which are charged, in accordance with the explanations of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of 28.10.2021, consisted solely in "exercising my right to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion" and, thus, as explained by the Supreme Court, "do not constitute a crime."

There is no evidence that I have in any way called for the use of violence or religious hatred. This is not in the testimony of the witness Nevsky, nor in the listened audio recordings. My actions have always been peaceful, they did not contradict the norms of Russian legislation.

I would like to talk about how my husband and I were affected by what happened to us. We had to go through a lot: the invasion of our apartment by nine men, three of whom were armed with machine guns, a grueling search for 7 hours, interrogation, detention in a pre-trial detention center for 3 months. We lost our jobs. Rosfinmonitoring has put us on the list of extremists and terrorists, so our bank cards are blocked, which creates serious difficulties for our lives. Any actions related to the provision of passport data are a big problem. My husband's cancer, persecution by the authorities have left an imprint on our lives and on our physical and emotional health. But everything that happened to us did not embitter me, did not develop resentment and hatred in my heart.

I want to explain what helped me. First of all, I felt the support of our loving God Jehovah. He gave me peace in my heart and peace of mind. And I am also helped by the example of Jesus, who taught me how to behave when faced with injustice. When they came to arrest him illegally, a situation occurred, thanks to which he taught an important lesson. His close friend Peter, driven by a noble motive — to protect his teacher — pulled out his sword, rushed at the first person from the crowd who came for Jesus and cut off his ear. Then Jesus severely condemned him, uttering the words known to many: "Return your sword to its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword," and after that he healed the wounded man. Lesson: The followers of Jesus never respond with violence to violence, but overcome evil with good. This thought really strengthened me. I will show kindness no matter how others treat me. And even when Jesus was being led to execution, he did not curse those who did it, instead he prayed for his offenders, saying to God: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." The example of Jesus helps me not to let resentment and hatred appear in my heart.

Jehovah's Witnesses try to live by the principles of God's Word. Thanks to this, they have an excellent reputation in many countries. However, sometimes distorted information is spread about them. For example, one official from St. Petersburg said: "Jehovah's Witnesses seemed to us to be an underground sect sitting in the dark, whose members mercilessly kill children and commit suicide." On duty, having come into contact with Jehovah's Witnesses during the international congress, the same official noted: "I see normal, smiling people in front of me. They are peaceful, calm and very much in love with each other." He added: "I genuinely don't understand why people tell such lies about them."

Of course, we, Jehovah's Witnesses, do not take any pleasure when we are branded as villains, but such attacks do not surprise us. Jesus warned his followers: "If the world hates you, know that first it hated me. This is in order to fulfill the word written in their law: "They hated me for no reason"" (John 15:18, 25). So, the biblical prophecy is being fulfilled. Persecution and the fact that some will be honored to testify about their beliefs in front of high-ranking people in the courts, predicted in the Bible. This helps me to have the right attitude towards them and not feel negative feelings and resentment towards anyone.

Your Honor, I have committed no crime. I didn't do any harm to anyone. And there are even no victims. My religious views are based on the Bible. They are expressed in two main commandments: love for God and love for people. I live by the biblical principles that teach: "to do to people as you want them to do to you", "not to repay evil to anyone for evil", "to love your neighbor as yourself", "by this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have love among yourselves". Therefore, my views are directly opposite to what is called extremism. I am not being tried for any crime, but only because I believe in God, whose name is Jehovah.

Many believe that Jehovah's Witnesses are the name of some new religion. But this is not the case. Even more than 2,700 years ago, the servants of the only true God were called his witnesses. God himself calls the people He considers his people that way. Isaiah 43:10 says: "And my witnesses, Jehovah says, are you, and My servant, whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me, and understand that it is I. There was no God before Me, and there will be no God after Me." Verse 12 goes on to say: "I have foretold, and saved, and proclaimed; but you have no stranger, and my witnesses, Jehovah says, are you, and I am God." From these words we can clearly see that God Jehovah himself calls his servants witnesses. Why does God call His servants witnesses? This word reflects the commission to tell about him as the Creator, Savior, Lord of the whole Universe and about his wonderful plan for people. It is a great honor for me to be a Jehovah's Witness! Before his death, Jesus Christ said to his disciples: "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good courage: I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Jesus remained faithful to God until death, so he became a winner. I do not know what the decision will be, but I can be sure of one thing for sure. Even if a guilty verdict is passed, then, having kept my devotion to Jehovah God to the end, I will also be able to say similar words. And in the eyes of my family, friends, and most importantly — the God of Jehovah, I will remain the winner.

I ask you, Your Honor, to drop the charges against me and the other defendants, to terminate the criminal case and fully acquit. Thank you so much for listening.

Summary of the case

Region:

Yaroslavl region

Locality:

Yaroslavl

What is suspected of:

Conducted liturgical meetings "including with the help of the network "Internet", within which [they] promoted prohibited exercises" (from the press release of the SU IC of the Russian Federation in the Yaroslavl region)

Criminal case number:

12102780014000004

Initiated:

April 12, 2021

The current stage of the case:

Appeal

Is being investigated by:

SU IC of the Russian Federation for the Yaroslavl region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1), 282.2 (2)

Case number in court:

1-7/2023 (1-387/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Dzerzhinsky District Court of Yaroslavl

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Irina Vlasova