The last word of the defendant Roman Mareev in Moscow

 Russia

 

The last word of the defendant Roman Mareev in Moscow

July 11 , 2023

Moscow

"I can't help but talk about what I read in the Bible," the believer said at the trial. According to him, extremism is alien to him, because his beliefs are based on the Bible and in his life he tries to follow the example of the first Christians.

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 charges of Mareev Roman Viktorovich and others. in committing a crime under Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Mareev Roman Viktorovich:

Your Honor, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who helped me, Sergei, and our families during the 20-month prison sentence. First of all, I am grateful to Jehovah God. Without the support of God, I would not have been able to maintain a positive attitude and feel what everyone feels going through persecution for their faith. Despite the insults, harassment and slander against me, when they labeled me an extremist for my desire to live by the example of Christ, I feel like a happy person. Jesus said, "You are happy when you are insulted, persecuted, and slandered, throwing mud at you because of me." True happiness does not depend on external circumstances, but comes with the conviction that you are doing the right thing and that God approves of my behavior and efforts to live by his standards.

My external circumstances changed at 6:10 a.m. on October 20, 2021, when armed men broke into the apartment of my disabled parents. What crime was I accused of? Judging by the questions, the investigation was interested in what I believe and whether I recognize myself as a Jehovah's Witness. One of the operatives said bluntly: "If you were Orthodox, we would not have come to you." During the investigation and the trial, my conviction in the correct behavior has only increased. There are no victims in my case, no one testified that I ever spoke in favor of religious hatred, hostility and violence. I am not on the records referred to by the investigation. Isn't this evidence of persecution and slander in my direction?

Why am I sure that Jehovah God approves of me? In the Bible there are such words recorded in the Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Romans, the 15th chapter, the 13th verse: "May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith, so that you may be filled with hope in the power of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit, the working power of God, filled my heart with joy and peace, despite the injustice that I, my family and friends faced.

I am grateful to my lawyer Dmitry Konstantinovich and Anton Nikolaevich, who helped us, for helping to protect my constitutional right to believe in God and share my beliefs based on the Bible with others. You are not only great professionals in your field, but also honest, warm-hearted people who are sincerely outraged by the distortion of facts and forgery of the investigation, which blinded our case from their own conjectures and lies spread through the media.

I am grateful to my parents, who raised me well. I have always shunned bad companies, did not smoke, did not drink, did not take drugs, and never made friends with those who hate others on national or religious grounds. It pains me to see how you suffer while waiting for a fair acquittal. Thank you, my dear family, for always supporting me, and I didn't need anything.

Circumstances separated us not by our will. In my own experience, I have been convinced of the truth of Jesus' promises: "I tell you truly," said Jesus, "anyone who has left home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news, will now, in this century, receive a hundred times more homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, but also persecution also, and in the age to come, eternal life" (Mark 10:29, 30).

I am grateful to my entire huge family: one of you came to court time after time, and you waited for hours to strengthen us with your smiles, applause, words of support, when we were being led in handcuffs, escorted by a convoy, as if dangerous criminals. Most of us supported us with their prayers, they kept me warm for long days in crowded, smoky cells. Your letters distracted me from painful thoughts and provided fruitful communication, which I was forcibly deprived of by being placed in a pre-trial detention center. In 20 months I have received more than 3,500 letters from 64 countries and dozens of regions of Russia from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka.

What did Jesus compare his disciples to? In the Gospel of Matthew, the 12th chapter, from the 48th to the 50th verses, we read: "Who is my mother and who are my brothers? — Jesus answered this man and, pointing to the disciples, said: — Here are my mother and brothers. Whoever does what My Heavenly Father commands is My brother, sister, and mother." Jesus compared his disciples to his family, his relatives. And what sign did he give that defines such a relationship? People who do the will of God. An outstanding example of how to fulfill the will of Jehovah God was shown by his Son, Jesus Christ. He did many good deeds: he healed the sick from any disease, fed thousands of people and even raised the dead. But people didn't call him a healer, a benefactor or a miracle worker, they called him a Teacher. Before his ascension to heaven, Jesus gave this task to all his followers, who were later called Christians. It is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 28, verses 19 to 20 (Synodal translation): "Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with by you all the days until the end of the century. Amen."

It turns out, what is the will of God? Teach all nations to observe everything that Jesus taught, and then anyone could be baptized and become a Christian. Having received knowledge from the Bible, I have been following this commandment since 2001, following the example of the first Christians. For me, this is a matter of obedience to God, as well as for the apostles. The religious leaders of Jerusalem of the 1st century A.D. did not like that the followers of Christ taught the people. In the Bible, in the Book of Acts, chapter 4, verses 1-4 (Modern translation), the apostles, just like us, were captured and put into custody. But have they renounced their faith? Then we read in the book of Acts, 4th chapter, from the 18th to the 20th verse: "They called the apostles and ordered them not to say anything or teach anything in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in the eyes of God to listen to you and not to God?" Therefore, we cannot but talk about what we have seen and heard."

I can't help but talk about what I've read in the Bible. You can see it for yourself: throughout the trial, in my speeches I often quoted the Bible and relied on the verses contained therein. And why should I listen to the opinion of an investigator who equates a conversation about God with someone to extremism, when neither the Constitution of the Russian Federation nor the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation restricted my right to freedom of conscience and religion?

What am I guided by when talking to people about God (for example, at such court sessions)? The example of Jesus Christ and the first Christians, in particular the Apostle Paul. In Romans, the 10th chapter, the 8th verse (Modern translation), his words are recorded under the inspiration of God: "What does the Scripture say? "The Word of God is near you, it is on your lips and in your heart." And this word is about the faith that we teach people." Reading and reflecting on the Word of God, it became close to me and touched my heart, so that I could no longer remain silent and, as they say here, "it began to be preached through my mouth."

Why is the sermon so important to me? In Romans, the 10th chapter, from the 9th to the 13th verses, there is an explanation: "If you say with your mouth, "Jesus is the Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Everyone who believes in his heart that he will be justified before God declares his faith with his mouth in order to find salvation. For the Scripture says: "Whoever believes in Him will not be ashamed." There is no difference between a Jew and a Gentile, for the Lord is one for all and pours out His mercy on those who have trusted Him. For "everyone who trusts in the Lord will be saved.""

My salvation and not only mine depends on the sermon. Then we read in verses 14 and 15 that in order for people to cry out to God, they need to hear about him: "But how can they trust the Lord if they did not recognize Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have not heard of Him? And how can they hear about Him if no one preaches about Him to them? And how will people preach if they are not sent to preach? As the Scripture says, "The feet of those who bring good news are beautiful."" That is why I am preaching the message of the Kingdom of God both here in court and in jail. No one has ever told me who and what to talk about, I read about all this in the Bible. I communicated with everyone about the joyful news set forth in the Word of God, who is alien to hatred and prejudice. Under no threats and forms of pressure that come to me because of my religion, I will not give up my family and life according to the commandments of God.

Your Honor, many have spoken of you as a judge who makes fair decisions. I ask you to fully restore me in my civil rights to freedom of religion 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