The last word of the defendant Igor Petrov in Surgut

 RUSSIA

The last word of the defendant Igor Petrov in Surgut

Nov. 9, 2023

Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug

In his last speech, Igor Petrov stressed that a person has the right to choose, freedom of conscience and religion: "I do not consider myself guilty. I haven't done anything wrong to anyone. I'm just a believer. And that's the only reason I'm being judged here."

Transcript of the court hearing in the Surgut City Court dated 09.11.2023 in case No. 1-27/2023 (1-130/2022; 1-1348/2021) on charges of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 and Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Petrov Igor Vladimirovich:

Dear Court, Your Honor, I want to thank you for your patience and good, benevolent attitude towards us, the defendants. In my final remarks, I want to explain why I am standing here. On the one hand, this seems strange, because I have not committed anything criminal. On the other hand, from the first search to this day, the investigators and the prosecution have been trying to convince me that I am a criminal and a threat to society and that I should be deprived of my liberty.

But there's another reason, and that's what I'm going to talk about in a moment. About two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ prayed to his Father, Jehovah God, and said: "I have delivered your word to them; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." Sometimes you can hear the expression "not of this world" addressed to some people. Usually, this expression is applied to a person or group of people who stand out from others with their behavior and lifestyle. But as Jesus said, that's what true Christians should be. But how exactly should true Christians differ from other people, and why? That's what I'm going to talk about now.

The Bible records an incident that happened to Jesus when Satan tempted him. After offering Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, he said: "I will give you authority over all these kingdoms with all their glory, because this authority is given to me, and I give it to whomsoever I will." And 1 John 5:19 says, "We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the Devil." I would also like to draw your attention to another biblical account. It is recorded at Ephesians 2:1, 2: "God has made you alive before you were dead because of your transgressions and sins that you once committed, living as men live in the world. You were subject to a ruler who has power over the air, that is, over the spirit that governs disobedient people."

So what is this air, or spirit? The "air," or "spirit of the world," is an invisible force that causes disobedience to God and kindles "the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes." —1 John 2:16; 1 Timothy 6:9, 10. The "power" of the spirit of this world lies in the fact that it appeals to the sinful flesh, and also in the fact that it acts imperceptibly, constantly, and, like the air, is spread everywhere. Moreover, he works by gradually developing in disobedient people such ungodly traits of character as selfishness, pride, ambition, and a spirit of moral independence and disobedience.

To put it simply, the spirit of this world gradually implants in the heart of man the qualities of the Devil, the enemy of God. In other words, it is the prevailing attitude that is inherent in human society. And although this attitude changes from time to time, it does not change for the better. For example, today in many countries homosexuality and same-sex marriages are almost promoted, or the idea is imposed that disagreements should be settled by force, and not through negotiations, and the word "concede" is generally for weaklings, and so on. To breathe this air or not to breathe, everyone decides for themselves. But I want to be "not of the world" in this respect.

Someone will say, "But it's good to resist that spirit, yes, but being out of the world involves something else." For example, God's Word exhorts true Christians to stay out of politics and to maintain Christian neutrality. Why? Many statesmen and rulers of states are making efforts to make the lives of ordinary people better, and this is good. But where do all their aspirations end? Basically, it doesn't get any better. And the situation that has developed today is a vivid confirmation of this.

Someone will say: "So what, now do nothing, there is no way out?" There is a way out, and God has provided for it. The solution to mankind's problems is God's Kingdom. What's it? The expression and exercise of God's sovereignty, or all-encompassing dominion, over his creatures is the means by which God exercises his sovereignty (Ps. 103:19). Basically, the "kingdom of God" refers to the expression of God's sovereignty through a government headed by a king, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God's Kingdom will rule the earth from heaven (Revelation 11:15). That is why this government is also called the "kingdom of heaven."

How good a ruler of this kingdom Jesus Christ will be is vividly shown by the verses in Psalm 72: "My God, teach the king to judge according to your laws, teach the king's son your righteousness. Let him judge your people righteously, and the poor people justly. Let him protect the common people, let him save the sons of the poor, and destroy the swindlers. In his days the righteous will prosper, and there will be peace everywhere as long as the moon shines. He will save the poor who cry out for help, the oppressed, and all who have no helper. He will have pity on the needy and the oppressed. And save the poor. He will deliver them from oppression and violence, and their lives will be precious to him."

When the prosecution claims that Jehovah's Witnesses do not have a strong civic position, so they do not take part in the elections, this is not true. Jehovah's Witnesses have already chosen their ruler and believe that God's Kingdom alone is the only organ for solving mankind's problems. At one time, I also took the side of God and symbolized it with water baptism... The Bible teaches me to respect authority. Romans 13:1, 2 says: "Every man must obey the superior authorities, for all authority is from God. The existing authorities occupy the places assigned to them by God. Therefore, whoever opposes authority is rebelling against God's established order, and such a person will incur condemnation." And 1 Timothy 2:1, 2 says: "First of all, I encourage everyone to turn to God with supplications, prayers, requests, and words of gratitude for all kinds of people, including kings and all those in high positions, so that we can lead a calm and quiet life, showing devotion to God and seriousness in all things." Ignoring these Bible principles is like ignoring God's authority. For me, this is unthinkable. And the fact that I do not take part in the elections and do not lead an active political life should not be the reason for my persecution and imprisonment.

What else does it mean to be "not of the world"? That means never taking up arms with the aim of taking a human life. Why? Because Jehovah's Witnesses adhere to the principle of holiness of life. Life is given by Jehovah God, and he alone decides who to give life to and who to take it from. Genesis 9:5, 6 says: "I will call every living creature to account for the human blood that has been shed; And I will hold every man accountable for his brother's life. If anyone sheds man's blood, his blood will also be shed by man, because God created man in His own image."

Also, one striking example that happened to Jesus tells the same story. When the soldiers and others came to arrest Jesus, the apostle Peter drew a sword and struck one of the men with it, cutting off his ear. But Jesus said: "Put your sword back in its place, for all who take up the sword will perish by the sword." —Matthew 26:51, 52. Military conflicts are not uncommon in our time, and they also occur today. Let us ask ourselves: If Jesus were on earth today, which side would he take? Each conflicting party pulls the blanket over itself in this regard. But I can say with certainty that he would not have taken sides.

Let's go back to the story that happened to Jesus during his arrest. Then he said, "Put away the sword, for whoever takes the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think I can't ask the Father to send more than 12 legions of angels to help me right now?" Jesus had the most powerful army in the entire universe behind him, but he did not use this power because he trusted his Father, Jehovah God. In the Bible, in Romans 12:17-19, there is a principle: "Do not repay evil for evil to anyone. Take into account what all people consider to be good. As far as possible on your part, be at peace with everyone. Do not avenge yourselves, dear brethren, but leave it to God to pour out his wrath, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' says Yahweh.

I would also like to cite more recent examples. During World War II, Jehovah's Witnesses who lived in Hitler's Germany were willing to sacrifice their lives, and many even lost their lives in concentration camps, but they did not compromise their conscience and their relationship with God. They refused to serve in the army or otherwise support the war effort. And I can say with confidence that Jehovah's Witnesses, who live not only in Germany but also in other countries, do not have the blood of Soviet soldiers on their hands. [...]

I would like to draw your attention to another aspect of my life – rest and entertainment. The prosecution placed great emphasis on the fact that Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate secular holidays. For example, such as New Year's Eve or birthday. At the same time, he emphasizes that Jehovah's Witnesses deprive themselves and their children of the joy of life. But what is a holiday? Almost all encyclopedias give the same definition of the word "holiday". There are several, and here are the ones:

An official day of rest established in connection with a calendar event, the opposite of weekdays;

mass entertainment events, fun leisure time;

the day of a joyful event;

A general state of elation (usually in phrases such as "celebration of life").

That is, a holiday is not only a specific day set by the government. A person can set his own holidays.

God wants us to have a good time with family and friends. Jehovah's Witnesses do not lead an ascetic lifestyle and enjoy having fun.

We enjoy giving each other gifts on any day, not because we need to, but because we want to. We also like to gather with family and friends around the table with abundant dishes. And we like to play various games and dance, but at the same time it all goes well. And we don't have to wait for a special day for that.

1 Peter 4:3, 4 says: "It is enough that in the past you have acted like men in this world: you have behaved shamelessly, indulged in various passions, got drunk, and engaged in revelry, drinking, and unlawful idolatry. And now they are astonished that you are no longer walking the same path of debauchery with them, and they insult you." Accusations that Jehovah's Witnesses are sullen and introverted and deprive their children of their childhood are unfounded.

Another area of my life where I want to be "not of the world" is the issue of health, and specifically: the treatment of diseases without the use of blood. There has been a lot of talk about this at the court hearings, but nevertheless, the prosecution still presents it as something criminal. I want to give you two reasons why I want to be treated without the use of blood.

The first reason, and it is the main one, is the command of God himself, and it is recorded in the Bible, at Genesis 9:3, 4: "I give you all living creatures to eat, just as I gave you green plants before. Just don't eat meat with life, that is, with blood." Leviticus 17:14 also says that the life of all creatures is their blood. To God, blood represents life. If life is a gift from God, and it is holy, then blood is also holy. Thousands of years later, when Christian congregations were formed, this command remained in force. This is the letter the governing body in Jerusalem wrote to the congregations. Acts 15:28, 29 says: "The Holy Ghost has helped us to come to the conclusion that no other burden should be placed upon you than the following requirements: to abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the flesh of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do that, you'll be fine. No other instruction is recorded in the Bible, so God's command not to use blood remains in force to this day.

There is, of course, a second reason, and it is no less significant. Blood transfusions are not safe. This is confirmed by the world luminaries of modern medicine. Let me give you just a few examples. There are many cases of severe complications such as rejection of cellular and plasma elements of the donor's blood, immunological reactions, as well as the risk of viral and bacterial infection after transfusion of blood and its main components. That is why there is a document called "informed consent of the patient", which must be signed by the person who is going to receive a blood transfusion. In this way, the medical institution wants to absolve itself of responsibility if something goes wrong. And today, there are a large number of alternative treatments without blood transfusions. I don't refuse to be treated. I am for high-quality and safe methods of treatment.

So, I've only touched on some aspects of my life. To some, it may seem unusual. But I have the right to choose how I live. This is my life. I chose it myself, and I like it. And I don't see anything criminal in such a way of life, although the prosecution believes the opposite, that I have no choice, and I should be like everyone else. Otherwise, I will be a criminal, which, in principle, is what is happening now.

When my relatives, non-Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as co-workers and acquaintances, learned of the punishment the prosecution was requesting for me, they were shocked. And with the best of intentions, they gave me advice, saying: why do you need all these problems? You'd give it all up. Do you want to believe in God? Believe yourself at home, alone. A similar idea was also expressed by the investigator during the investigation. In response to my remark that the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is not forbidden, he said: "Yes, it is not forbidden, but you are not allowed to gather together." In doing so, he showed that the criminal prosecution that has fallen on Jehovah's Witnesses throughout Russia, including me, is not a criminal intent, as the prosecution says, but a political order to eradicate the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. And such repressions have already taken place during the Soviet Union.

For me, turning away from God and betraying Him is unthinkable. And I don't decide how to worship him. Only God Himself determines these standards, they are written in the Bible, and I want to follow them. And I know for a fact that Jehovah God will never cause me to harm my neighbor. On the contrary, every day my God encourages me to "love my neighbor as myself."

I would like to cite one statistic. It is conducted by the international organization World Justice Project (WJP). This organization has published its annual ranking of the rule of law, which it has been issuing since 2015. As follows from the document, over the year, Russia dropped six positions in the ranking and ended up in 113th place - between Liberia and Madagascar. The rule of law ranking is compiled on the basis of surveys of citizens, lawyers and legal experts. Among the parameters by which the rule of law indicator in a particular country is assessed are the presence of constraints on the power of the government, the absence of corruption, the openness of the government, respect for the basic rights of citizens, order and security, law enforcement practice, civil and criminal proceedings. This year's ranking includes 142 states.

In the ranking of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Russia ranks 14th out of 15 and is between Belarus (104th in the overall ranking) and Turkey (117th place). In addition, Russia ranks 132nd out of 142 in the overall ranking in terms of the presence of deterrents to the government's power, 92nd in terms of the absence of corruption, 89th in terms of government openness, 124th in respect of the basic rights of citizens, 101st in order and security, 92nd in law enforcement practice, and 78th and 127th, respectively, in civil and criminal proceedings. If this continues, then in a few years Russia will be in last place. This is a very sad fact.

Your Honor, I don't think it's my fault. I haven't done anything wrong to anyone. I'm just a believer. And that's the only reason I'm being judged here. But I really want to see justice triumph at this trial.

Case Summary

Region:

Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug

Settlement:

Surgut

What is suspected:

"He gave speeches, participated in preaching service with local Jehovah's Witnesses, held meetings with 'pioneers', 'elders' and 'ministerial servants', including for the purpose of organizing the activities of the 'elders' in the 'Vzletnoye' 'congregation.'"

Criminal Case Number:

42002007709000023

Instituted:

February 11, 2019

Current stage of the case:

Proceedings in the Court of First Instance

Investigating:

Surgut Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1), 282.3 (1), 282.2 (2)

Court Case Number:

№ 1-27/2023 (1-130/2022; 1-1348/2021)

Court:

Surgut City Court

Judge:

Dmitriy Lupin