The last word of the defendant Mikhail Gordeev in Petrozavodsk

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Mikhail Gordeev in Petrozavodsk

July 24, 2023

Karelia

In the last word in court, the believer told the story of his life and summed up: "What do they want to punish? For being a good person? What then do I need to improve? Is it really better to return to the way of life that I led before, before acquiring my faith? Isn't that absurd?"

Transcript of the court session in the Petrozavodsk City Court of the Republic of Karelia dated 07/24/2023 on the case № 1-34/2023 (1-223/2022; 1-1110/2021) according to the accusation of Gordeev Mikhail Genrikhovich and others . in committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Gordeev Mikhail Genrikhovich:

So that the court can better understand my motives, I want to tell you why I became a Jehovah's Witness and how studying the Bible helped me change my life for the better.

I grew up an ordinary kid who loved his family, parents, and dreamed of achieving some good goal in life. There have been many positive moments in my life. For example, my parents, despite the fact that they worked hard (my father was a turner, my mother was a designer at the Onega Tractor Plant), often went with me and my brother on vacation to the Black Sea or traveled by boat on Lake Onega. I still have pleasant memories of that wonderful time.

Since childhood, I dreamed of becoming a musician and after serving in the army, I entered a music school. Then a family appeared, a small child who needed to be well taken care of, and my musical career did not take place — I got a job as a driver to better provide for my family.

Unfortunately, there were quite a few frankly bad moments. Since childhood, I have been very afraid of death. When one of the neighbors or relatives died, or I heard Chopin's funeral march being played on the street, I hid in the farthest corner of the room and plugged my ears. I believed that those who died after death, in the form of a soul, would haunt me, I was afraid of the dark and could not fall asleep without light. This nightmare lasted for almost 30 years of my life!

As a teenager, I began to constantly communicate with the yard company, whose only leisure was card games, smoking cigarettes, drinking. And I got carried away with all this myself. In this company, I often faced injustice, humiliation, insults and violence. They weren't real friends. Later, this lifestyle developed into regular visits to various drinking and entertainment establishments. My adventures upset my parents, especially my mother, but I couldn't stop because I didn't see a worthwhile goal in my life and senselessly burned it. Still, somewhere in the back of my mind, I hoped that there would definitely be something good ahead.

At one time I believed in the ideas of communism and socialism, studied them and thought that they would lead us to a happy future. But it didn't happen. After five years of living together, my wife died due to a heart disease, and I was left alone with a four-year-old son in my arms. The death that separated me from a loved one brought me a lot of pain. Life began to seem even more meaningless and empty to me. But I had faith that there must be a God somewhere who would help me find at least some hope. And, fortunately, it happened.

I started looking for God, and he helped me find myself. I caught sight of the Bible, the second part of it — the New Testament, which was brought to my father in the hospital by evangelists, and I began to read it. How surprised and amazed I was by what I read there! Reading about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, I realized that he is a real person and the son of God. This was evident from the fact that he taught and preached as a man endowed with wisdom from God. I was also struck by the fact that Jesus' prophecy about the last days (wars, epidemics, famines and disasters) is coming true right before my eyes (Luke 21:10, 11). I realized that we are living in the time of fulfillment of this prophecy. This convinced me that the Bible is a book from God. I also learned from the Bible that Jesus Christ prepared the disciples and gave them the task of preaching and preparing new disciples, and that this activity would have to cover the whole world.

But there was a lot I didn't understand about the Bible, and I really wanted someone to help me figure it out. I also wanted to become a disciple of Christ because I admired the sincere faith of his followers. I began to look for a religion that corresponded to the teachings of Christ and would help me understand the Bible. I remembered how even earlier some women came to our house and brought pamphlets, from which I then learned and understood only that God has a name - Jehovah. I didn't know what their faith was called, but after reflecting on how zealously they shared it, I realized that this was what I was looking for. Then I wanted to find a place where they have meetings, but despite many efforts, it did not work out in any way. In parallel, I began to attend the Orthodox church, but they did not explain the Bible there.

Reading the Bible on my own, I realized that I needed to repent of my sins in order to gain the favor of God. I went to church and arranged with the priest for confession. He told me to come to him the next day. And so, on the same day, in the evening, two strangers knocked on my door — a man and a woman. They started talking about the Bible, and I immediately guessed who they were. These were Jehovah's Witnesses. Finally, those whom I could not find for so long came to my house themselves, and at the right time! It couldn't be a coincidence. "God has brought you to me!" I told them. I agreed to study the Bible with them, and finally my life found true meaning.

I realized that Jehovah God has a wonderful plan — to turn our earth into a real paradise, where there will never be any disease or death. People will be able to live forever in wonderful conditions, everyone will have their own home, an abundance of food and a satisfying job. Good people who love God and their neighbors will live on earth. No one will ever harm anyone (Revelation 21:3-5; Isaiah 65:21-25).

This was exactly the hope that I had been looking for for so long and that God had revealed to me through the Bible. Studying it, I realized that the dead are in an unconscious state and therefore cannot harm anyone. It helped me to get rid of the fear of the dead and find peace in my heart. Finally, I was able to fall asleep calmly, not afraid of anything. I also learned that God is very willing to resurrect the dead, and now I look forward to the time when my parents and other loved ones will be resurrected (Acts 24:15). I also believe that all my dreams and desires will come true in the future when people become perfect and God will bless them every day.

In the congregation, I found a large loving family consisting of brothers and sisters. How different it was from the company I used to communicate with, and the lifestyle I used to lead! They turned out to be real friends, ready to support in difficult times.

God has blessed me with a new family — in the congregation I found a wonderful life partner, Lisa, with whom we have been living for 24 years and raising our two daughters. The application of biblical principles in family life helps us to resolve various difficulties, raise children correctly and strengthens our marriage. The Bible has helped me to change and acquire Christian qualities, thanks to which I am able to take better care of my family and treat other people with kindness and understanding.

Remembering my difficult past, I wanted to help the same disadvantaged people as I was in my time, to find out that they have the same hope for the future that our Creator promises. Today, looking back, I realize that my God Jehovah has always been by my side throughout my life. Even when I didn't know him, he supported me and helped me through life's adversities. I became convinced that God is a true friend who will never let me down, his love is eternal. It touched my heart, and I decided to become his minister.

The love of God motivates me to be obedient to him and fulfill his laws and commandments. It is not difficult and even joyful to fulfill them, because they benefit and protect us (1 John 5:3). For example, in the Bible, in a Letter from the Apostle Paul to Titus, it is written: "Remind them [Christians] to be obedient to governments and authorities, obey them and be ready to do any good deed" (Titus 3:1). Obedience to the government and other legitimate authorities protects me and my family from the rebellious mood that prevails in the world today and its consequences, and also helps to remain a worthy citizen and a useful member of society.

For example, I have worked as a driver all my life. Having already become a Christian, I worked for 15 years at the Onega Tractor Plant and for about 15 more years at the landscaping plant. During all this time, the application of biblical advice and principles has helped me to maintain good relations with both colleagues and superiors, as well as to treat my work honestly and conscientiously. This is confirmed by the testimony of my employees at work from the improvement plant — a production master and a medical worker. Yes, I myself was happy to work for the benefit of our city and its inhabitants, because it's so nice to see when the city is simply drowning in beautifully decorated flowerbeds of beautiful flowers in summer! Maintaining cleanliness in the city is also the merit of the plant and its employees.

By the Resolution of the Petrozavodsk City District Administration No. 5434 dated October 28, 2013, I was awarded the Certificate of Honor of Petrozavodsk "For conscientious work, great personal contribution to the improvement of Petrozavodsk". Unfortunately, I have not preserved the diploma itself, but there is a record of its receipt in my workbook.

Also, on November 27, 2019, the department for work with citizens of the Prionezhsky district and the city of Petrozavodsk issued me a certificate “Labor Veteran of the Republic of Karelia” No. 126302.

 Raising children according to Bible commandments helps them study hard and be friendly with peers and teachers at school and in their families.  My eldest daughter Lydia graduated from high school with a gold medal.  She also received letters of gratitude for her good studies and letters of gratitude to her parents for raising her daughter from the mayor of Petrozavodsk and the head of the Republic of Karelia.

 To sum up my last words, I ask myself: has my faith made me worse or better?  Did she develop extremist tendencies in me or, on the contrary, help me change, become a respectable person and find true meaning in life?

 With a clear conscience and a feeling of deep satisfaction, I answer - the second.  I became better and happier than I was, my life had real meaning.  What then am I accused of and what do they want to punish me for?  For becoming a good person?  What then do I need to improve on?  Is it really better to return to the way of life that I led before, before acquiring my faith?  Isn't this absurd?

 Your Honor, you are a fair and respected person.  I apply the same words to you, dear prosecutor.  Please judge fairly and righteously.  Personally, I consider myself completely innocent.

 I thank the court, everyone present, as well as the court secretary for your hard, useful work for society and your attentive, respectful attitude.

 Case Summary

 Region:

 Karelia

 Locality:

 Petrozavodsk

 What is suspected:

 According to investigators, they united into an organized group with the aim of organizing in the territory of the city of Petrozavodsk in the Republic of Karelia the activities of the local division of the banned religious organization “Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia”, including by organizing meetings and involving new members in its activities

 Criminal case number:

 11907860001000022

Case initiated:

 July 22, 2019

 Current stage of the case:

 the verdict came into effect

 Investigates:

 Federal Security Service of Russia for the Republic of Karelia

 Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

 282.2 (1)

 Court case number:

 No. 1-34/2023 (1-223/2022; 1-1110/2021)

 Court:

 Petrozavodsk City Court of the Republic of Karelia

 Judge:

 Stepan Sergeev