The last word of the defendant Lyubov Serebryakova in Novokuznetsk

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Lyubov Serebryakova in Novokuznetsk

July 11 , 2023

Kemerovo region

In her appeal to the court , the defendant stated: "In fact, the state prosecutor has the intention to force me to renounce my faith — to stop meeting with my co-religionists at divine services, to perform spiritual songs together, to tell anyone about my religious beliefs."

Transcript of the court session in the Kuznetsk District Court of Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo Region dated 11.07.2023 in the case 1-21/2023 (1-269/2022) on the charge of Lyubov Nikolaevna Serebryakova of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Serebryakova Lyubov Nikolaevna:

Your Honor, dear participants in the process, I want to say a big thank you to everyone for their attention to my speech.

In my last word, I cannot but touch on spiritual issues, because this is what clearly indicates that I have never acted out of extremist motives. In addition, the indictment explicitly states that my guilt is directly related to the religious beliefs that I have.

Why are people who peacefully profess their religious beliefs in the dock in such trials as this? There is an explanation for this.

In my opinion, this is a clear proof of the truthfulness of the prophecy recorded in the Bible. About 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ described the components of the sign of the days that he called the last, including the detail recorded in the Gospel of Mark, the 13th chapter, the 9th verse: "For they will deliver you up to the courts, and they will put you before rulers and kings for Me, for a testimony before them."

What kind of evidence should people receive? They should hear the good news that Jesus, as God's appointed king, will establish peace and justice on earth in the near future. There will be no death, disease, grief and tears. The Bible describes how events will develop, and there is also a clear guide on what to do to gain eternal life: to learn about the one true God and his son Jesus Christ (Gospel of John, chapter 17, verse 3).

Although it may be surprising, trials like this allow us to convey to high-ranking officials the message of our loving Creator's intention to turn the whole earth into a paradise and allow people to regain perfection by ridding them of everything related to hatred, hostility and injustice.

To hide from others the information that every person can already find a close relationship with God, and in the future — eternal life, means to show selfishness, which indicates a lack of love for others. Christians have always been distinguished by the fact that, following the example of Jesus, they shared their religious beliefs with others and never shut themselves up, but on the contrary, professed their faith together. Jesus was also not a hermit — at least the apostles were always with him, with whom he discussed religious topics, celebrated celebrations, preached.

The motive of all my actions is connected with religious beliefs based solely on following the example of Jesus Christ peacefully.

Someone may not like religious activity for various reasons. So, unfortunately, many people assume that the spiritual perception of the world is determined by the culture or locality in which a person grew up, and other views are considered by default as representing some kind of destructive force. This was the case earlier, when in the Roman Empire Christians were given to be torn to pieces by wild animals, because it was believed that they belonged to a new religion, which, moreover, was not in a passive state, but was developing. However, this approach is flawed. It is a mistake in a state governed by the rule of law to bring to criminal responsibility for the fact that, as indicated in the indictment, I profess a certain ideology or preach the creeds of the religion of which I am an adherent.

I have always respected the right of other people to choose what or whom to believe in, what religious affiliation to choose. And it seems natural to me that any person should be provided with such a right to choose. And this is possible only if each religion and, accordingly, its followers are guaranteed the freedom to convey their beliefs to others.

It is for this reason that both international normative acts and national legislation, including article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, enshrine the right to freedom of religion — freedom to choose, have and disseminate religious beliefs.

I do not believe that Jehovah's Witnesses have superiority over others. On the contrary, such a point of view contradicts the views that I hold. According to the Bible, every person is imperfect and can make mistakes. And as for my attitude to the religious beliefs I have, it is quite logical that I believe in their truth.

Are my peaceful actions, which have nothing to do with extremism, a crime? No.

Unfortunately, my religious affiliation — belonging to the worldwide canonical structure of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses as a whole — is misinterpreted by the prosecutor as participation in the activities of a legal entity banned in Russia. It is unacceptable to arbitrarily confuse the concepts of "liquidated legal entity" and "religious denomination".

The law does not recognize as a sign of extremism the dissemination and confession, including together with co-religionists, of the religion (taking into account its internal regulations, terminology, the order of worship and other features) to which the liquidated religious associations belonged.

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not prohibit meeting with co-religionists to worship God, it did not prohibit sharing their religious beliefs with others and, most importantly, it did not prohibit the religion or ideology of Jehovah's Witnesses. In his decision there is no assessment of the worldwide activities of believers and their right to belong to the world canonical structure of Jehovah's Witnesses.

In fact, the state prosecutor intends to force me to renounce my faith — to stop meeting with my co-religionists at divine services, to perform spiritual songs together, to tell anyone about my religious beliefs.

Formally, I am told that no one forbids professing and spreading the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. However, they do not explain how this can be done taking into account the position of the prosecution, stating that it is unacceptable to attend divine services and preach creeds.

In conclusion, I want to say that it is faith, both before and now, that gives strength to overcome various hardships of life. So, in February 1999, my husband died, and I was left with a 9-year-old son in my arms. But thanks to the guidance of God, which he gives through the Bible, as well as the help of those who share my religious views, I was able to raise my youngest son a worthy person. And what is especially important, the knowledge from the Bible gives me comfort and firm confidence that in the near future God will fulfill his intention to turn the whole earth into paradise. I have many reasons not to consider all this a fairy tale, but this is not the subject of today's speech.

In this case, the only victims are me and my family. Severe damage has been done to my physical and emotional state.

Your Honor, I appeal to you to do everything possible to prevent unjustified harassment of a very sick and elderly widow. I am completely sure that God will definitely appreciate such a good deed.

I ask you to attach the text of the last word to the materials of the criminal case.

Summary of the case

Region:

Kemerovo region

Locality:

Novokuznetsk

What is suspected of:

"Personally propagandized the activities of the organization and its ideological attitudes", "participated in missionary activities", "participated in meetings of followers of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, preaching the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses" (from the decision on involvement as an accused)

Criminal case number:

12202320010000262

Initiated:

July 8, 2022

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigates:

SU IC of the Russian Federation in the Kemerovo region — Kuzbass

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Case number in court:

1-21/2023 (1-269/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Kuznetsky District Court of Novokuznetsk

Judge of the Court of First instance:

Olga Chaika