The last word of the defendant Anatoly Marunov in Moscow

 Russia

 

The last word of the defendant Anatoly Marunov in Moscow

July 11 , 2023

Moscow

The defendant, using the example of the history of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, showed the court what persecutions peaceful believers had faced before — they were exiled only for believing in Jehovah God. He also said: "My worship of Jehovah God fully fit into the framework of the right granted to me by the law of our country."

Transcript of the court session in the Savelovsky District Court of Moscow dated 11.07.2023 in the case 01-0123/2023 (01-0997/2022) on the charges of Anatoly Viktorovich Marunov and others. in committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

Marunov Anatoly Viktorovich:

I would like to start with a little digression into history to show how the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses appeared and spread on the territory of our country, as well as to draw attention to the difficulties our brothers and sisters faced.

As you know, in the 1970s of the XIX century in the United States, under the leadership of Charles Tase Russell, a group of people was formed who engaged in a deep study of the Bible and later became known as "Bible Researchers" (we had the opportunity to learn about this from a film that was shown at a meeting on April 13, 2023). The starting point for their activities was the existence of contradictions between the traditional teachings of the church and what is clearly stated in the word of God of the Bible. To popularize their views , Ch . T . Russell began publishing a magazine in 1879, which is now known worldwide as the "Watchtower", and in 1919 the magazine "Wake Up!" was added to it. This allowed a huge number of people to better understand the Bible and build personal relationships with Jehovah God.

I would like to draw attention to the fact that similar Bible studies have been conducted in Russia. First of all, they were aimed at ensuring that the Bible was translated from Church Slavonic into the commonly used Russian language. This is what would allow all layers of society to personally get acquainted with the content of God's word, and not just hear it interpreted by the clergy. The beginning of this work was laid by the Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church Gerasim Pavsky, and his follower was Archimandrite Makarii. It was Archimandrite Macarius who, in his translation of one of the books of the Bible "Psalter", used the name of God Jehovah instead of the title "Adonai". But since all this happened in the 1930s of the XIX century and caused a hostile reaction of the church administration, further work was curtailed.

The history of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia (as Bible Researchers have been called since 1931) begins at the end of the XIX century. In 1881, Charles Tase Russell visited the Russian Empire for the purpose of preaching. And since 1887, the magazine "Watchtower" has already been read in many cities of the European part of the country.

At about the same time, Simeon Kozlitsky, a graduate of the Orthodox Theological seminary, while on a trip to the United States of America, got acquainted with the teachings of Bible Researchers. Returning to Russia, Kozlitsky told people about the new faith until in 1881 he was exiled to Siberia on charges of "insulting the Metropolitan of Moscow."

Even more violent persecution began after October 1917. However, they touched representatives of all faiths and were held under the slogan "Religion is opium for the people." Nevertheless, it was not possible to completely stifle people's craving for the spiritual, and the number of followers of the Jehovah's Witnesses' creed grew. Especially significant growth occurred after the accession of the Baltic States, Western Belarus and Western Ukraine to the USSR in 1939-1940. Suffice it to say that by 1950 the number of Jehovah's Witnesses in the USSR reached 50 thousand people. This alone, as well as the position of the brothers and sisters on certain issues, could not but cause a negative reaction from the authorities and the clergy. This resulted in mass repression. In 1949 and 1951, there were widespread expulsions of families of Jehovah's Witnesses from the European part of the country to Kazakhstan, Siberia and the Far East.

Moreover, these actions took place ruthlessly, as harshly as possible. Early in the morning, people were lifted out of bed, they were given only 2-3 hours to gather, they were allowed to take only the most necessary things with them, and they were taken to train stations by army trucks. There they were loaded into wagons suitable only for transporting livestock, and sent on a journey that could last for weeks. The destination was most often the taiga or the bare steppe, regardless of the weather and time of year. It was necessary to build dugouts, somehow arrange life, find food somewhere. But there were often families with young children.

But all the consequences of the ongoing repressions were not taken into account. Firstly, honest, hardworking citizens who have always been valued in all sectors of the economy were expelled. And secondly, unwittingly, the authorities have contributed to the fact that the eastern regions of the country have received a powerful testimony of the truth. As a result, in a short time, many people who lived there learned the name of God, fell in love with him and became adherents of a new teaching for them.

Several years have passed and already since 1965 the gradual return of brothers and sisters from exile began, which, however, very often turned into a retrial and a new term of imprisonment, but already for "anti-Soviet activities". This testified that their faith remained unshakable and no severe trials could force them to betray Jehovah God. But, as in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, in order to obtain freedom, it was only necessary to sign a document on renunciation of faith. But this did not happen, no one managed to exterminate the people of the true God. Does this not mean that God protects and supports His faithful servants throughout human history?

Be that as it may, the number of Jehovah's Witnesses in the country was steadily growing, and the changes that took place in the power structures led to the fact that on March 27, 1991, the Ministry of Justice officially registered a legal entity — "Jehovah's Witnesses in the USSR". And already on March 14, 1996, by Decree of Boris Yeltsin, the persecuted brothers and sisters from among Jehovah's Witnesses were recognized as victims of political repression and fully rehabilitated. The most peaceful period in the history of Jehovah's Witnesses in our country has come. It became possible to gather freely for divine services and freely preach the good news. Congresses were held in many cities, attended by thousands of families of Jehovah's Witnesses and those who were just interested in the truth. There was also an abundance of spiritual food — new translations of the Bible, books and magazines. All this was available in unlimited quantities for everyone who wanted to get to know Jehovah and become his friends. The number of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia has reached 175 thousand people.

But, as has happened more than once in history, something very alarmed the secular authorities and the official clergy - they saw some kind of imaginary threat from peaceful believers. The wording "extremism", which is very convenient in its ambiguity, was chosen, although no clear explanations or accusations were ever presented. How could believers, including many women, the elderly, and children, change the constitutional order in the country or violate its territorial integrity? And why didn't they do it during the most favored nation period in the late 1990s? There were no answers to these questions, and there are no.

And as a result, at the end of the 2010s, in some regions of Russia, our peaceful activities began to be banned, and literature was declared extremist. As of December 2011, nine criminal cases had already been initiated under Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. And in continuation of this campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses, on April 20, 2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation decided to liquidate the Management Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and its 395 mPOS throughout the country. On July 17, 2017, the decision came into force. Searches, arrests, sometimes in a very harsh form, numerous trials, harsh sentences began all over the country again. And today we are present at the court session, which continues this deplorable practice. We are also waiting for a verdict. But before it is proclaimed, I want to say the following.

I am a retired labor veteran. After serving in the army and studying, I worked for 40 years in one place — in the Publishing House of the newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, I have commendations and government awards. I have a strong family, my two sons have been educated and are working hard. Neither I nor my family members have ever been brought to administrative and even more so to criminal responsibility. We led a quiet, peaceful life. I have not committed any illegal actions. Therefore, I strongly declare: I do not plead guilty to any of the charges brought against me!

Neither during the interrogations in the Investigative Committee, nor during the trial, was not a single proof of my guilt presented. I have never been a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses NGO in Moscow and have not taken any actions aimed at resuming the activities of this organization. My worship of the God Jehovah fully fit into the framework of the right granted to me by the law of our country, in particular Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Even in its decision of 20.04.2017 The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has determined that there is no ban on the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.

I would like to emphasize once again: the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not prohibited in our country! This clearly shows that we can still practice our religion exactly as God teaches, as it is described in the Bible and as it is customary all over the world: to gather together for divine services, read the Word of God, pray, sing songs based on biblical verses, and talk to everyone people about their faith. I also share my religious beliefs with others, as, for example, at such court sessions.

We are peaceful believers. Jehovah's Witnesses have never participated in protest actions, civil unrest, or called for armed struggle anywhere in the world. Even the so-called ban on our activities, which was misinterpreted by the authorities, we took with dignity. We well remember the words of Jesus Christ: "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). Only one thing is unclear: for what, for what specifically, where is the evidence of what we are so persistently accused of? If Jesus said, "Go and teach all nations" (Matthew 28:19), then that's what we do. If Jesus did not tell us to form any organizations - legal entities — then we are not doing this. It turns out that, like Jesus, we are persecuted only because we try to live according to the biblical canons and teach others the same. For some reason, not everyone likes it. But Jehovah God, speaking of Jesus, commanded: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to him" (Matthew 17:5). And to contradict God is the highest degree of recklessness.

In conclusion, Your Honor, a couple more quotes. At the 10th All-Russian Congress of Judges, Vladimir Putin said: "The rights and freedoms of our citizens are guaranteed by the Constitution, they are inviolable. And we must not forget about this." The president also compared the judicial system to the Greek Olympus: "I ask you very much to conform to this high "Olympic" status, as those who live there — I mean the Olympic gods." That's who he compared the judges to. I hope that these qualities are inherent in you, Your Honor.

Proceeding from the above, I ask the court to find me innocent, the charge under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to recognize unfounded and fully acquit me.

Summary of the case

Region:

Moscow

Locality:

Moscow

What is suspected:

"they manifested themselves as leaders and communicative leaders of a religious organization, which was expressed in organizing and conducting conversations, controlling the speech activity of the interlocutors, commenting on the fragments of the text being read" (from the resolution on involvement as an accused)

Criminal case number:

12102450011000104

Initiated:

October 20, 2021

The current stage of the case:

the appeal

is being investigated by:

The Department for the Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the SU for the CAO GSU of the IC of the Russian Federation in Moscow

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1.1), 282.2 (1)

Case number in court:

01-0123/2023 (01-0997/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Savelovsky District Court of Moscow

Judge of the Court of First instance:

Dmitry Zozulya