The last word of the defendant Eduard Sviridov in Moscow

 RUSSIA 

 

The last word of the defendant Eduard Sviridov in Moscow

December 22, 2023

Moscow

In his last word, the believer said that faith in God motivates him to follow the laws and help people. He said: "My activities coincide with the interests of the state, which means that it should support and encourage me in every possible way. And what is it instead? I was declared an extremist for my good deeds."

Transcript of the court session in the Cheremushkinsky District Court of Moscow dated 12/22/2023 in the case 01-0211/2023 (01-1003/2022) on charges of Sviridov Eduard Vyacheslavovich, Pike Sean Antonio and Rumyantsev Alexander Vyacheslavovich of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Sviridov Eduard Vyacheslavovich:

First of all, I want to thank God Jehovah, because he gave me peace and quiet. My wife, who has always supported me and still supports me, worries about me, prays for me. I also want to thank all our friends who prayed for me, supported me with their personal presence and wrote letters. I also want to thank the court, because it was attentive and responded to requests. And my lawyer, who has done a great job to get justice.

Your Honor, dear attendees, you have questioned the witnesses, examined the evidence, and analyzed it. Everything is very clear — I was only performing actions aimed at realizing the right to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion by spreading religious beliefs and performing divine services. One question remains to be answered: how did it happen that I was brought to court at all and what should I do next with all this? Let's try to figure it out.

Having created people, Jehovah God established simple, understandable and easy-to-follow laws for them. But as a result of the rebellion in the Garden of Eden on earth, the first people, Adam and Eve, rejected the loving authority of the Creator by eating the fruit from the tree, ignoring Jehovah's commandment not to eat from it. This tree symbolized God's right to lead people. Thus, people decided to become independent of him. God's enemy, Satan, deceived Eve by saying, "You will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). In fact, he said, "Why do you need God? You will do without his guidance." This raised a universal question that needed an answer: can people do without God's guidance?

The whole history of mankind has shown that independence from God did not bring peace, security, stability and happiness to people, but doomed them to a series of endless worsening problems, bloodshed, hostility, crime and the like, which confirmed the truth from the Bible: "His way is not in the power of man. A man cannot give direction to his footsteps" (the book of the Prophet Jeremiah).

Why did Jehovah allow people to be independent of him? To make it obvious to all intelligent creatures that without God's guidance, all human attempts to find peace, security and harmony are doomed to failure. Secondly, so that a precedent can arise on the basis of which Jehovah, the Supreme Judge, will be able to intervene in the affairs of people and establish his loving just rule, that is, his Kingdom over the earth. In this way, Jehovah will glorify his name, which was tarnished by the rebels at the beginning of human history and throughout it. This is the main theme of the Bible — the justification of the sovereignty of God, the glorification of his name and the realization of his wonderful plan for people. But how do people learn these important saving truths? To do this, Jehovah God trains people so that they can bring to all nations the happy news of the Kingdom of God, that is, the government of God. The Bible says, "And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole universe, as a witness to all nations; and then the end will come" (The Gospel of Matthew). This is what Jehovah's Witnesses do, following the commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (the Gospel of Mark).

The very name "Jehovah's Witnesses" means that we bear witness to the name of God and glorify him with our thoughts, words and deeds, showing others that Jehovah's rule is the best. Jesus told his disciples, "You are the light of the world." The enemy of God and people, Satan the Devil, seeks to interfere with this important work of preaching in about 240 countries and territories. Therefore, many myths, lies and half-truths arise around Jehovah's Witnesses. For the same reason, because of the opposition of Satan, Jesus Christ was called a deceiver, a rebel, and even he was executed. For the same reason, the Roman Empire persecuted Christians. For the same reason, Nazi Germany tried to destroy Jehovah's Witnesses. For the same reason, the USSR wanted to eradicate the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Has this really started to happen in modern Russia?

In the Middle Ages, a witch hunt was declared in Europe. In the civilized 21st century, a hunt for Jehovah's Witnesses was announced. There's really nothing to chase them for. Jehovah's Witnesses are not involved in any scandals, conflicts, riots, skirmishes, protests. They are not involved in changes in the constitutional order, nor in coups and revolutions. These people are known all over the world as law-abiding and peace-loving people. They do not take up arms, following the commandment of Jesus Christ: "For all who take up the sword will perish by the sword." Why do people sometimes so easily believe lies about Jehovah's Witnesses? Because people's lives are not easy, there is not enough time for many things. And in order to investigate reliable information about Jehovah's Witnesses, you need to make an effort, allocate enough time. It is quite natural that busy people follow the path of least resistance and do not do this, believing in the truthfulness and objectivity of the information being planted. By showing dangerous sects on television, Jehovah's Witnesses are sometimes artfully woven into one row, wanting to give the public the impression that Jehovah's Witnesses are a dangerous sect, but this is only a cunning manipulation of the audience's consciousness. And in order to make it easier to hold Jehovah's Witnesses accountable and give this a look of legality, they were labeled "extremism".

I have been reading the Bible for a very long time, there are a lot of terrible prophecies that God's servants brought to people. Can biblical prophecies and truth be called extremist? And we bring people the happy news of a wonderful future, completely free of charge, spending our personal time, energy and money. How can we be extremists?

As you know, Jehovah's Witnesses even undergo alternative civilian service instead of serving in the army, avoid entertainment programs and violent films, and do not practice any martial arts. They worship the God of love and learn from him peace and unity. So what is the connection between Jehovah's Witnesses and extremism?

Judge for yourself, in my life I had to visit an orphanage, study in two boarding schools and live in them, and since I was an unbeliever, I served in the army in Afghanistan for about two and a half years. For these reasons, I was away from my family for a very long time, so I became an irritable, short-tempered and nervous person. But it is only through studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses that I have become a more calm, restrained and peaceful person and I continue to learn this, honing wonderful human qualities. Even unfairly being in jail, I did not become bitter and I do not blame anyone. I am sure that law and justice will prevail, and, as Jesus taught, I pray for the people who persecute us so that Jehovah will bless them.

Knowing that Jehovah would make people happy affected me, so my religious activity was focused on five important components: obedience and obedience to the state, strengthening the institution of the family, a healthy lifestyle, developing excellent human qualities, helping others.

It turns out that my activities coincide with the interests of the state, which means that it should support and encourage me in every possible way. And what is it instead? I was declared an extremist for my good deeds and illegally and unreasonably kept in jail as a dangerous inveterate criminal. For example, no attempt to achieve a milder measure of restraint was heard, and I could not even bury my mother because I am in jail.

People have the five greatest values: freedom, time, friends and family, reputation, and health. They deprived me of all this with a stroke of the pen, completely without delving into the essence of the matter. How can such a thing happen in a state governed by the rule of law, in a society governed by the rule of law?

I am accused of a crime against the foundations of the constitutional order. Why would I oppose the Constitution if it protects me? For example, Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. I am also accused of a crime against the security of the state, but as I said above, my activities, on the contrary, strengthen it. I did not spread an idea that would encourage opposition to the state either on the Internet, on social networks, or with the help of any literature, at rallies, at protests, or at any marches or pickets. I've never even participated in them. I didn't gather people en masse in halls or anywhere else to introduce extremist ideas. There is no evidence for all these accusations.

I am accused of inciting national, racial, religious and social discord, and of promoting superiority over others. But I'm not a Nazi, I'm not a racist, such ideas are completely alien to me. I love people very much. Each person is different and interesting in their own way. Look at Sean, he's Gay, but I love him, and we have a strong friendship despite the fact that we are of different races and nationalities. During the 23 years of my life in the Warm Camp area of Moscow, after I became a Jehovah's Witness, I made many friends, but not a single enemy or victim. I have not caused any damage to anyone, there have been no riots, protests, clashes, hostility and hatred in my area or anywhere else. If I had a goal and intention to incite hostility and oppose the state, how did it happen that I did not achieve it in 23 years? The answer is simple. Because I worship the God of Love, and he calls upon Orthodox Christians, Muslims, and representatives of other religions to live in love, peace and unity. That's what I tell people. And that, no doubt, is what most people want. And the Bible gives a solid hope for this.

I am also happy that I can speak in front of you today. You are all busy people and stand guard over the law, and there is no access to you in everyday life. But you also have every right to learn about Jehovah and his plans. Jesus Christ said: "You will be brought to judgment before rulers and kings so that you can testify" (Matthew Gospel).

The judges of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation also learned about the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. And, as follows from the decision of April 20, 2017, the Supreme Court rejected attacks on the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yes, he made a decision to liquidate legal entities, thinking that it was an organization, not people. But he did not forbid everything that concerns ordinary people. Religious groups have not been eliminated. The religion of Jehovah's Witnesses was not banned. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation preferred to indicate that it did not evaluate the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses. Further, in a Resolution dated October 28, 2021, the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation clarified that the worship of even those people who previously participated in the activities of liquidated religious associations does not constitute a crime under Article 282 paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Thus, the court showed that it had liquidated only the legal entities of the religious organization, the Management Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and local religious organizations, which I have never been a member of, do not belong to, and do not even imagine how they are organized. Since the moment of baptism, I have been worshipping God as an individual, as guaranteed to me by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Thus, I did not continue the activities of the liquidated organization, and there is no evidence of this.

I am a person without a law degree, but even I see that someone is confusing the soft with the warm, accusing me of a crime. Your Honor, as an experienced person with a law degree, this is, of course, obvious to you. The characteristics that are in the case eloquently show what kind of person I am. The metro, where I work, takes employees very selectively, after an interview and an official check. I was hired twice at the MET after I had to quit to take care of my sick mother. After 3 years of hiatus, I was re-employed. After my arrest, I could have been fired, but this did not happen, but on the contrary, they are waiting for me back. The boss told my wife to keep him informed of my court case. Why am I treated like this by my boss and colleagues? Because I am a peaceful and obedient person who has gained a good reputation over the years of working in the subway. Because he acted in accordance with the biblical teachings. Agree, if I had shown my superiority over others, incited hostility and discord, then everything would have been different.

I do not know if I will be rehabilitated now, or if I will have to wait, like my co-believers in the past, but I am convinced that I am innocent neither before God, nor before the law, nor before the country. The Apostle Paul was taken from the court in Judea to Rome at public expense, where he waited 2 years for Caesar to consider the court. As a result, he was acquitted. But by this time, the entire Praetorian Guard had already become aware of the teachings of God, as recorded in the Bible. Maybe I'm destined to repeat his example. After all, now there is a strange practice of transporting convicts to different pre-trial detention centers while waiting for an appeal. If this affects me, then while they will take me in carts, trains around the Russian pre-trial detention center, they will ask me questions about my faith everywhere. This is a great many people. I will be taken back to Moscow for the Court of Appeal. And again, new prisoners along the way, new neighbors in Butyrskaya prison will be interested in my faith. Then I can expect a new trip to the colony through various prisons in Russia and again a lot of questions about my faith. So I can make a single trip at the expense of the state, but also make 3 more missionary trips like the Apostle Paul. Maybe the prisoners, having learned about my faith, will want to read the Bible and become useful to the state and society, leave the criminal path and improve. Indeed, in the Bible, in Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 12, it says: "For the word of God is alive and effective, and it is sharper than any two-edged sword, it penetrates into us so deeply that it separates the soul from the spirit, and joints from bones. It judges our feelings and thoughts of the heart."

If, Your Honor, you acquit me, I will be glad and happy that there is justice in my native country, that we live in a legal society in which reason overcomes prejudice, and they cannot denigrate good deeds, that the innocent should not bear undeserved punishments.

Here's an example: there were two people, both innocent. The court sentenced one to 5 years in prison, and acquitted the other. Which one of them do you think will find it easier to respect the legislative, judicial and executive authorities and be grateful? The question is rhetorical. The answer is obvious.

Therefore, I ask, taking into account the above, to acquit me, guided by the law, justice and impartiality. Thank you very much!

Summary of the case

Region:

Moscow

Locality:

Moscow

Criminal case number:

12102450035000080

Initiated:

August 24, 2021

The current stage of the case:

The appeal

Is being investigated by:

SU for the Southern Administrative District of the GSU of the IC of Russia for Moscow

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Case number in court:

01-0211/2023 (01-1003/2022)

Court of First instance:

Cheremushkinsky District Court

Judge of the Court of First instance:

Sergey Khomyakov