The last word of the defendant Sergei Yuferov in Tynda during the retrial of the case

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Sergei Yuferov in Tynda during the retrial of the case

June 19, 2023

Amur region

Addressing the court with the last word, the believer drew attention to the fact that the beliefs and lifestyle of Jehovah's Witnesses are not compatible with extremist activities. He said: "It is clear from the Bible that the very concept of "extremism" is alien and condemnable for a follower of Christ."

Transcript of the court session in the Tyndinsky District Court of the Amur region from 06/19/2023 on the case 1-45/2023 (1-9/2022; 1-131/2021) on the accusation of Sergei Vitalievich Yuferov of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and Part 1.1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Yuferov Sergey Vitalievich:

First of all, I would like to thank all those who, together with me, directly or indirectly participated in this long process. Thanks to the court for the fact that all this time I had the opportunity to go to work every day, spend the night at home and continue to take care of my children. I am grateful to the lawyers and other lawyers for their hard work in this difficult situation. I am grateful to my friends for the fact that almost all the days of the trial, by their personal presence in the lobby and in this hall, they provided me and others with powerful moral and spiritual support. Thank you for the encouraging postcards I received from other cities and countries, as well as for the fervent prayers. No wonder they say that real friends are known in trouble! I am grateful to my dear wife and children for the fact that they were willing to suffer with me in my persecution. I would like to sincerely thank the employees of the FSSP and the secretaries of the court sessions. For the last 2 years they have shown us human kindness and understanding. Special thanks to my friends who sent me 372 letters, collective and personal, during my incarceration in prison. More than 1,200 people participated in their writing — acquaintances and strangers, adults and children. The censors of the pre-trial detention center have done a hard job, and I am grateful to them.

I would like to briefly tell the story of my acquaintance with the Word of God, the Bible, which began 30 years ago. It was in Tashkent, in 1992. I was 17 years old at the time. At that time, there was nothing to buy in stores. People at the flea market were selling everything they had at home to make ends meet. Walking through this market, I saw a Bible lying on the counter next to frying pans, orders and medals and begged my father to buy it for me. I've already heard about it, but I dreamed of having my own. It was an invaluable gift for me. I started reading it every day, though I didn't understand a lot. I was interested in the answers to the questions: Who is God? is there life after death? what is the condition of the deceased? what awaits our earth in the future? where will paradise be? what is hell? what is resurrection? At about the same time, my mother in the subway was offered by Jehovah's Witnesses to read a magazine in which there was a biblical explanation of these basic teachings of the Bible. I read it right away, too, and my interest in the Bible increased even more. At the end of this magazine mentioned the book "You can live forever in paradise on earth", released in 87 languages. I really wanted to get her. I told my physical education teacher at the technical school about this book, because I heard that he was a believer. He mentioned that he had such a book, and agreed to give it to me for a couple of weeks. I started taking notes on it in detail, but I didn't have time to finish it, so the teacher gave it to me for another 2 weeks. Seeing my sincere interest, he gave it to me. This "guide" to the Bible helped me to understand it thematically. I realized that the Biblical teachings are irrefutable truth. I was looking for answers to vital questions and found them in the Bible. This is not taught in academies or universities, nor will a professor tell you about it on TV.

Biblical moral principles began to influence my life: I got rid of nicotine addiction, stopped smoking herbal drugs, communicating with dubious friends, using obscene language. Life has found meaning. Now I began to please the living God and experience genuine joy in serving him. I have a reasonable hope for an eternal future. My peers, observing the changes in my life, began to be interested, asking why I suddenly became such a believer. I began to share with them what I had learned myself, answered their questions with the help of the Bible. Some of them, too, thanks to the Bible, put their lives in order and became Jehovah's Witnesses.

The Biblical message touched me in such a way that I wanted to tell others about it. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 6, verses 45-46, it says: "Out of abundance in the heart, the mouth speaks." If faith does not motivate a person to anything, then it has no meaning, and we can say that it is dead. To say that faith is in my soul is like a student handing an empty piece of paper to the examination board at an exam and saying that knowledge is in his head. Therefore, faith based on the Bible encourages me to share this valuable knowledge with others. The Apostle Paul was aware of the importance of spreading accurate knowledge from the Bible. In the First letter to the Corinthians, the 9th chapter, the 16th verse, he wrote: "If I preach the gospel, then I have nothing to boast about, because this is my necessary duty, and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel." Understanding and knowing the truth imposes a responsibility on every Christian to share it with others.

Today, in any state there is a law enforcement system whose task is to investigate and punish criminals, while the message from the Bible changes people and encourages them to get off the criminal path and become law-abiding citizens. What motivates such people? A sense of personal responsibility to the Creator, who sees everything. The Bible says, "The eyes of God see everything, they watch the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3). The most powerful and noble deterrent from bad deeds and crimes is the awe of God.

In our country there are two fairly thick and relevant books with many chapters and sections. This is the Criminal code and the Bible. But in the Bible itself, in the first letter of the Apostle Peter to the Christian congregations, the 2nd chapter, verses 20 and 21, it is warned: "If you suffer when you are punished for crimes, what is special about it? But if you suffer, suffering for good deeds, then you please God, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example."

The Word of God in all translations and editions of any years encourages the reader to be a law-abiding citizen. In a Letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul pointed out what attitude the followers of Christ should have towards state authorities and laws: "Let every soul be submissive to higher authorities, for there is no authority not from God; the existing authorities are established from God. Therefore, he who opposes authority opposes God's establishment. And those who resist will bring condemnation upon themselves" (Romans 13:1, 2). It is clear from the Bible that the very concept of "extremism" is alien and condemnatory for a follower of Christ. Therefore, everything that is attributed to me in my spiritual activity cannot be extremism. Extremist activity in all its forms and manifestations is unacceptable to me.

In 33 AD, the most famous but unfair trial in the history of mankind took place in Jerusalem. Jesus Christ appeared before the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate as a defendant. Religious leaders unfairly accused him of extremism on three counts. "This man calls the people to revolt, forbids paying taxes to Caesar and says that he is the Christ, the king" (Gospel of Luke 23:2). But all these accusations were fabricated and unfounded. Who would be able to call Jesus Christ an extremist and a criminal today?! How did that trial end? On Golgotha, Christ was sentenced to death. Was that decision fair? Did he have the opportunity to avoid such a fate? Yes, she was. But he knew the purpose of his coming. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 20, verse 28, he said: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." The sin of people with all the ensuing consequences is, in fact, the problem of the people themselves. But Jesus, out of love for God and people, voluntarily died for us, accepting a violent death on the stake of torment. But the resurrected Jesus warned and prepared all his followers: "Remember what I told you: a slave is no bigger than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours. But people will do this to you because of my name, because they don't know who sent me."

He also warned that we would be taken to the courts for testimony for his name. And this is the situation that Christ warned about. The risen Christ gave his followers the task: "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me, 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 you all the days until the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20). Was Jesus the organizer of extremist activity?! This statement would be blasphemy and complete absurdity.

Having received a task from my lord Jesus Christ, I have tried and am trying to fulfill this honorable task out of love for God and people. This activity is carried out not only in this country, but also in all 239 countries and territories, because Jesus said that the good news would spread throughout our planet under his leadership, because he was given all the power in heaven and earth. And this is indisputable. If Jesus never taught extremism, can those who live by his example be called extremists? Words taken from the Bible are carved on the wall near the UN headquarters building in New York: "They will turn their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles: the people will not raise the sword against the people, and they will no longer learn to fight." These are welcome achievements for this international organization, which includes Russia and 185 other states. But Jehovah's Witnesses, as an international brotherhood united in the worship of God, have long been able to realize this slogan in their lives and become peace-loving people. Is this extremism?! At this trial, I am being judged for my devotion to God and obedience to Christ, as well as for the support provided to my spiritual brothers and sisters. I, in turn, am part of this peaceful, international brotherhood. Our large family consists of people of many races and nationalities who speak different languages and have no prejudices. The book of Acts of the Apostles says that our Creator gave the earth as a home for people of different nationalities: "From one man He produced the whole human race for life on the whole face of the earth." The plan of our God Jehovah is for all people to live as one family on paradise earth, worshiping our Creator and Life-Giver in unity.

Dear Court! You have been presented with enough materials and evidence in favor of the fact that our activities around the world are exclusively peaceful in nature, it is aimed at the benefit of individuals and society as a whole, and most importantly — to glorify our Life-Giver and Creator of the Universe, Jehovah God. Taking into account all of the above, I ask you to pass an acquittal.

Summary of the case

Region:

Amur region

Locality:

Tynda

What is suspected:

According to the investigation, "organized meetings of followers... religious organizations"

Criminal case number:

11907100001000076

Initiated:

November 11, 2019

Current stage of the case:

the verdict has entered into force

Investigates:

FSB of Russia in the Amur region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1), 282.2 (1.1)

Case number in court:

1-45/2023 (1-9/2022; 1-131/2021)

Court of First Instance:

Tyndinsky District Court of the Amur region

Judge of the Court of First Instance:

Valentina Brikova