The last word of the defendant Alexander Kuznetsov in Yaroslavl

 RUSSIA

 

The last word of the defendant Alexander Kuznetsov in Yaroslavl

July 7, 2023

Yaroslavl region

In the last word, the defendant said: "My faith in God Jehovah has nothing to do with extremism, which they are trying to accuse me of."

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 the charges of Kuznetsov Alexander Alexandrovich and others. in committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Kuznetsov Alexander Alexandrovich:

First of all, I want to thank you, Your Honor, for the kind, calm atmosphere that prevailed at the meetings. Thank you, Your Honor, for always being attentive to me, being interested in my well-being, wishing me good health and being ready to make concessions when my health did not allow me to attend meetings.

I express my sincere gratitude to the State Prosecutor Irina Alexandrovna for showing respect for our religious feelings. Thanks to the secretary of the meeting Maya Alekseevna and the bailiffs for their hard work. Thanks to our lawyers, Aysel Tarlanovna, Nune Arturovna, Larisa Mikhailovna — you always explained to us the legal subtleties and professionally defended us throughout the process. Thanks to the investigator Alexander Nikolaevich Grigoriev, that he always showed attention, was interested in my health.

I thank all the friends who came to the meetings and supported us, for their prayers, help and presence nearby. And of course, I am very grateful to my God, because I was once again convinced of his powerful support and felt his love and care.

I would like to draw your attention, dear court, that there is not a single victim in this case. If my actions were actually criminal and socially dangerous, then where are the victims of my criminal behavior? There are none. This alone proves that there is no danger from me either for the state, for the constitutional order, or for individual citizens. My faith in God Jehovah has nothing to do with the extremism they are trying to accuse me of.

What if a powerful state had plotted to destroy Jehovah's Witnesses as a religion? Many people in modern history have tried to do this, but their attempts have failed.

At first, I wanted to tell you a little about the trials of faith that the first Christians faced. Like Jesus, they worshipped only Jehovah (Matthew 4:8-10). To do this, they needed courage. They refused to burn incense in honor of the Roman emperor. In his book "Facing Death," Daniel Mannix wrote: "Very few Christians renounced their beliefs, although for convenience an altar with a fire burning on it was usually kept in the arena. All that was required of the prisoner was to sprinkle a pinch of incense on the flame, after which he was given a certificate of sacrifice and released. He was also explained in detail that he did not worship the emperor, but only recognized the divine nature of the emperor as the head of the Roman state. Nevertheless, almost no Christian took the opportunity to be free."

In our time, Jehovah's Witnesses have also been persecuted in different countries. For example, the Nazis harshly persecuted them: by 1939, 6 thousand Witnesses were in prisons and several thousand more in concentration camps. What have the years of persecution led to? By the end of World War II, about 2,000 Witnesses had died in prison and more than 250 had been executed. Jehovah's Witnesses held on to their faith despite the ordeal. Subsequently, when the Hitler regime came to an end, more than a thousand Witnesses emerged victorious from the camps.

Hitler and SS Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler hated Jehovah's Witnesses. According to one of them, Himmler once told several of our fellow prisoners of the concentration camp: "Let your Jehovah rule in heaven, but here on earth we rule! We will show you who will outlive whom!" A little time passed, and the Nazi regime fell. Heinrich Himmler was forced to flee. Then he met Jehovah's Witness Lubke, a former concentration camp inmate. Himmler recognized him and, completely crushed, asked: "Well, Bible Researcher, and what will happen now?" Lubke explained to Himmler that Jehovah's servants always knew that the Nazi regime would collapse, and they would be saved. Himmler, who had repeatedly spoken contemptuously about Jehovah's Witnesses, had nothing to say this time. Soon he committed suicide.

This example very vividly illustrates what is written in the biblical book of Acts, 5th chapter, verses 38 and 39: "Therefore I say to you: leave these people, do not touch them. After all, if this plan or work is from people, then it will be destroyed, and if it is from God, you will not be able to destroy it. Otherwise, it may turn out that you are fighting with God himself."

The question arises: why, both in the past and today, it was impossible to overcome those who served Jehovah God? We find the answer in the book of Jeremiah, the 1st chapter, the 19th verse: "They will fight with you, but they will not overcome you, because Jehovah says, 'I am with you to save you.'" And in the 20th chapter, the 11th verse of the same book, the prophet wrote these words: "Jehovah was with me like a formidable warrior. That's why my persecutors will stumble and not prevail." As in the past Jehovah supported his faithful prophet, so he has done it in our time.

Is it possible to resist the Almighty God? No, that's not possible. Why? The powers of God and people are too incommensurable. In the Book of the prophet Isaiah, the 40th chapter, the 26th verse says: "Raise your eyes to the sky and look. Who created all this? The one who leads the stars like an army, and counts them. He calls each of them by name. Thanks to his immense power and awe-inspiring strength, they are all in their places." As can be seen from this verse, Jehovah God has great power.

But is there such a quantity with which one could measure the power of God? No. For example, engine power can be measured in horsepower, but the power of God is impossible — he has unlimited power. But still, in order to get at least a little idea of how much power our Creator has, we can give such an example. As we know, the Sun is a star. Compared to the stars that are visible at night, it seems huge, because it is located closer to us than the other stars. What is its power? In the core of the Sun, the temperature reaches 15,000,000 degrees Celsius. At 100 degrees, the water boils, and it is difficult for us to imagine 15,000,000. But you can do a little with this example. If a piece of the solar core the size of a pinhead is placed on the Ground, it will be impossible to get closer to this tiny stove than 140 kilometers! Every second the Sun radiates energy equal to the explosion of hundreds of millions of nuclear bombs. Is the Sun a giant star? No, astronomers call it a yellow dwarf. And this is despite the huge size of the Sun — its radius is 695,700 km! For comparison, the radius of the Earth is 6371 km, that is 109 times less.

Scientists have found that one of the largest stars is UY Shield. Its radius is 1,708 times the radius of the Sun. If we make mathematical calculations, we can find out that the volume of the UY Shield is 4 982 686 912 times larger than the volume of the Sun. The diameter of the UY Shield is approximately 2.4 billion km. If you put the Shield star UY in the place of the Sun, it will absorb the Earth and go beyond the orbit of Jupiter.

But there is an even bigger star — Stevenson 2-18. Its radius is 2,150 times the radius of the Sun. If you make mathematical calculations, you can find out that the volume of Stevenson 2-18 is 9,938,375,000 times larger than the volume of the Sun. And we have considered an example of only three stars. But scientists don't even know the exact number of stars in the universe. And Jehovah knows not only the number of stars, but also calls each of them by name.

In the 12th verse of the 40th chapter of the book of the prophet Isaiah, you can still read: "Who measured the waters of the seas with a handful and determined the size of the sky with a span?" Man does not know the limits of the universe, and Jehovah says of himself that he measures it by a span. If you pull out your thumb and little finger, this is where God has the whole universe.

An interesting question arises: what can the power of God give us? Our life depends entirely on what God has created, for example, on the energy of the Sun and the natural resources of the Earth. God can also direct His power to help individual people. In the 40th chapter of the Book of Isaiah, the 29th verse says: "He gives strength to those who are tired, and strengthens those who are weak." And verse 31 says, "Those who trust in Jehovah will regain their strength." Yes, Jehovah is ready to give his servants "strength beyond the ordinary" so that they can endure life's difficulties and trials (2 Corinthians 4:7). But as we have seen from Isaiah 40:31, Jehovah does not give his power to everyone, but only to those who rely on him. What does that mean? In Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, one of the meanings of the word "hope" is to rely on someone or something, to be confident in someone or something. I want to emphasize the key words of this definition: "to be confident in someone/something". But how do these words apply to me? Today is the 816th day that we are in trials, and during this time Jehovah has never let me down. Thanks to the accumulated experience, I have a firm confidence that he will not leave me further.

For me, the words from Psalm 27:2, 3, which David wrote under the inspiration of God, acquired a really deep meaning: "When the villains attacked me to tear me to pieces, my enemies stumbled and fell themselves. Even if I am surrounded by an enemy army, I will not be afraid. Even if they go to war against me, I will be sure of God even then."

Along with the persecution for believing in God, I had to face a serious illness — oncology. When I was still in custody in the pre-trial detention center, I developed a strong weakness. Couldn't figure out why. I begged Jehovah to give me the strength to endure everything. I didn't even know I had cancer then. About a month and a half after we came out, I was diagnosed with a malignant tumor. I started a difficult treatment: first 25 courses of chemoradiotherapy, then a serious operation, and after another 6 courses of chemotherapy. There were situations when it seemed that there were no more forces to endure. But my God Jehovah helped me to endure everything. I am also very grateful to my beloved wife Masha, who has always been by my side in difficult times, and has seen all the pain that the disease causes. Her help is hard to overestimate. Currently, I am experiencing the consequences of surgery and treatment, which will be solved only in the new world. In this regard, I constantly need physical help from my spouse.

In addition, I have been suffering from an anxiety disorder for many years. This disease causes me severe discomfort and negatively affects my emotional well-being. People can't fully understand what I have to experience. But I am very comforted by the knowledge that my God Jehovah understands the depth of my suffering. I fully share David's words, which he wrote down under the inspiration of God in Psalm 31:7: "I will rejoice with all my heart, feeling your devoted love, because you know about my grief, you see how hard it is for me."

I have full confidence that very soon Jehovah will reward me for my steadfastness. James 5:11 says: "We consider those who survived happy. You have heard about Job's steadfastness and how Jehovah blessed him, which showed how merciful and gentle Jehovah is in his love."

I look forward to the time when God's promise from Revelation 21:3, 4 will be fulfilled: "I heard a loud voice from the throne say, 'The tent of God is among men, and God will live with them. They will be his people, and he will be with them. God will wipe the tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more weeping, no more pain. Everything that was before has passed."" And until this happy time has come, my God gives me the strength to stand in my trials.

Now I would like to say a few words about how I feel about the trials that have befallen me. At first I had a regret that these trials affected our family. I wondered, "Well, why did they come to us? They would have chosen someone stronger." However, over time, my God Jehovah helped to take a different look at this situation. I am very comforted by the understanding of three reasons why Jehovah allows the persecution of his people. These are the reasons.

First, the eternal question of sovereignty. In Job 2:4, 5, Satan questioned the integrity of every person who worships Jehovah. It says: "Skin for skin! A person will give everything he has for his life. But reach out and strike him with a disease, and he will definitely curse you to your face." Every servant of Jehovah must give an answer to the question whether he will remain faithful to God, no matter what misfortunes and difficulties may befall him (Job 1:9-11; 2:4, 5; Proverbs 27:11).

Secondly, both officials and people in general are given a good testimony (Luke 21:12, 13; Acts 23:11; 25:8-12). In Luke 21:12, 13, the words of Jesus are recorded: "But before all this happens, people will persecute you, they will grab you, bring you to synagogues for trial and throw you into prisons. Because of my name, you will be led to kings and rulers. It will give you the opportunity to preach." Today, these words of Jesus are being fulfilled before our eyes. And I really value the great honor that fell to me — to defend the name of my God Jehovah in the courts.

Thirdly, difficulties and trials can benefit us personally. Persecution can purify our faith and strengthen our resilience. For me, the words from James 1:2-4 have acquired a really deep meaning: "Brothers, rejoice when you face various trials, because you know that your proven faith makes you steadfast. And let the perseverance bring its work to the end, to be perfect and flawless in all respects, without any flaws." Now I can say with confidence: "My attitude is much better than at the beginning of the trials, and my faith is much stronger!"

Summing up, I want to say: it was a very difficult, but rewarding path. I have gained valuable experience, which I will not exchange for anything.

Your Honor, now I want to say about my attitude to the fact that I am accused of extremism. What is extremism? In the explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, Ozhegov defines extremism as "adherence to extreme views and measures." I think this is a groundless accusation. In the same place, the word "groundless" is defined as "unfounded, not supported by facts, evidence." On the contrary, the case materials, including the audio recordings of our services, prove that I have nothing to do with extremism.

Am I worried about being called an extremist? No, not at all. When Jesus Christ lived on earth, people called him a glutton and a drunkard. However, it didn't bother him. He said, "Wisdom is confirmed by works" (Matthew 11:19). Yes, his lifestyle proved otherwise. In this regard, there is one interesting statement, which I myself adhere to: "Do not pay attention to what people say bad about you. Just live in such a way that no one will believe them."

On June 7, 2021, when I had been in jail for almost two months, my father, who does not share my religious beliefs, came to meet me. He said he could get me out of here using his old Moscow connections, but on condition that I renounce my faith. Of course, I refused such conditions. And then one day, when we were talking with him once again, I asked him what he was thinking about when he went to this meeting with me in the pre—trial detention center - would I give up my faith or not? Then he said, "No, I was sure that you would not renounce your faith." Then I asked him, "What convinced you of this?" He said: "I know you're an honest man." Therefore, even my father, who does not share my religious views, understands that I do not pose a danger either to the state or to individuals.

Your Honor, in conclusion, I would like to say that we live in a unique time. All of humanity is on God's trial. All people are determined in their attitude to the Lord of the Universe, Jehovah God: whether to recognize the sovereignty of God as the Creator of everything or not to recognize. The choice is up to each of us. There is very little time left. Biblical prophecies and current events indicate that we are approaching a turning point in the history of mankind.

Your Honor, I do not admit my guilt, because I did not commit a crime under Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Therefore, I ask you to fully acquit me and the other defendants and attach my last word to the case file. Thank you so much for listening to me carefully.

Summary of the case

Region:

Yaroslavl region

Locality:

Yaroslavl

What is suspected:

they held liturgical meetings "including with the help of the network "Internet", in 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