The last word of the defendant Angela Putivskaya in Tula

 RUSSIA 

 

The last word of the defendant Angela Putivskaya in Tula

November 2 , 2023

Tula region

"This criminal case seems to me absolutely illogical, given that I didn't kill anyone, didn't steal anything and didn't commit other crimes," the believer said in court. She added: "I only used my right, which the Constitution of Russia gave me — to believe in God."

Transcript of the court session in the Proletarian District Court of Tula dated 02.11.2023 in the case 1-142/2023 on charges of Putivskaya Angela Nikolaevna and others. in committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Putivskaya Angela Nikolevna:

Dear Court, Your Honor, I want to state that all the evidence examined shows that I exercised my right to freedom of religion according to the canons of my religion, which is not prohibited by law.

At the beginning, I want to thank my God Jehovah for the support he has provided with the help of his power — the Holy Spirit — all my life and especially since the arrest. After all, both God and the people around me who know me at least a little understand that I have not done anything illegal.

Thank you, Your Honor, for your tact, attention and respect for my person! You listened patiently to my position when I gave my testimony. I also want to thank the prosecutor, who tried to stress correctly when pronouncing the name of God, Jehovah, and my last name.

I am accused of continuing the activities of a banned organization and somehow being a legal entity. But in order to believe in God, you do not need to create legal entities. The most important thing is to study the Bible at home or in a circle of co—religionists, to pray, to perform religious chants.

The purpose of the services was one — to worship the God Jehovah. And this was not a violation of the Supreme Court's decision of April 20, 2017. The court did not prohibit the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses.

I didn't cause any harm to anyone or anything, because there are no victims in the case. It means that my conscience is clear both before God and before the state. And if I'm not guilty, then why are they trying to hold me accountable?

I would like to tell you how I was affected by what happened to me. I had to go through a lot: the invasion of my apartment by a group of people, two of whom were armed with machine guns, an exhausting search for several hours. In addition, despite my poor health, the staff opened the windows, creating a draft, and thereby aggravated my condition. They also put psychological pressure on me, speaking obscenely about my lifestyle and religion, and forbade me to take things with me and medical documents about the presence of cancer. In the FSB building, a group of investigators (about 3-4 people) already exerted psychological pressure on me and, having achieved nothing, called me names, about which I wrote a complaint in detail, which is in the case materials. Then I was illegally put in jail, and then under house arrest, during which my beloved grandmother passed away, with whom I never had time to say goodbye.

Did it embitter me? No! It helped me that I felt strength and support from my loving God. And the example of Jesus also helped me: he himself faced injustice when he was illegally arrested on false charges drawn up by the Supreme Court, which consisted of priests, scribes and Pharisees of that time. And when Pontius Pilate said that he found no fault in Jesus, everyone shouted: "Crucify him, crucify him, otherwise you are not a friend of Caesar."

I am supported by the words of Jesus: "As they persecuted me, so they will persecute you, as they kept my word, so they will keep yours." And also his words: "Forgive them, Father, because they do not know what they are doing."

Thus, this criminal case seems to me absolutely illogical, given that I didn't kill anyone, didn't steal anything and didn't commit other crimes. I could not find an explanation for why I am in the dock if I did not know the prophecy I mentioned above.

Your Honor, I was only exercising my right, which was given to me by the Constitution of Russia — to believe in God and profess my religion. Therefore, I am not guilty of what I am accused of. I ask you to justify me and my friends.

Summary of the case

Region:

Tula region

Locality:

Tula

What is suspected:

"He took active actions of an organizational nature... expressed in the organization of religious performances ... and the implementation of preaching activities" (from the resolution on the initiation of criminal proceedings)

Criminal case number:

12107700001370018

Initiated:

March 25, 2021

Current stage of the case:

Proceedings in the court of first instance

Investigates:

WITH the FSB in the Tula region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Case number in court:

1-142/2023

Court of First instance:

Proletarian District Court of Tula

Judge of the Court of First instance:

Nina Panarina.