The last word of the defendant Pavel Brilkov in Prokopyevsk

 RUSSIA 

 

The last word of the defendant Pavel Brilkov in Prokopyevsk

January 12, 2024

Kemerovo region

Pavel Brilkov described his feelings about the criminal prosecution: "To believe for me is the same as breathing. If I am not allowed to calmly exercise my faith... I feel as if my oxygen supply has been cut off."

Transcript of the court session in the Central District Court of Prokopyevsk dated 12.01.2023 in case 1-203/2023 on charges of Pavel Vasilyevich Brilkov of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Pavel Vasilyevich Brilkov:

Your Honor, first of all, I would like to express my gratitude to those who participated in this process and those who supported me. First of all, I thank my God Jehovah for the calmness and strength that he has given me all the time, from the search to this day.

I am grateful to my dear wife, Vera, for her wonderful qualities and the attitude she has shown all this time. My dear, you've had to endure a lot. You are the real helper that Jehovah gave me. It is written about you: "Two are better than one... because if one falls, the other will pick up his comrade."

I am grateful to all our friends for coming and supporting us at all the court sessions. Your applause when I entered the courthouse gave me confidence and cheerfulness that I was not alone. When I came out, I was incredibly glad that you were with me! Your smiles and encouraging words have been a great support for me. Thank you for supporting us. This is how you confirmed the words of Jesus Christ from John 13:35: "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Thank you, our dear ones!

I thank my lawyer for his respectful and kind attitude towards me, for advising me when I had questions about my case, as well as for the work done. I am grateful to you, dear Prosecutor, for correctly reading and pronouncing the name of my God, Jehovah. Thank you very much to the secretary for being attentive and polite to me. Thank you, Your Honor, for allowing my friends to be present at every court hearing, and for today, when so many listeners are present.

I am accused of participating in the activities of a religious organization, in respect of which the court has made a legally binding decision to liquidate and ban activities in connection with the implementation of extremist activities. However, Your Honor, the reality today is that civilians are being unreasonably labeled as extremists. So first I want to explain why Jehovah's Witnesses are actually being tried all over the country.

The answer to this question is in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:12 says: "And all who wish to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." As you can see, we are talking about the persecution of Christians. This was predicted, so I personally am not surprised that this is happening. Maybe I'm a little upset. The fact is that persecution is inevitable. They were in the first century A.D., and they are still there. The enemies of Jesus Christ tried to arrest him. Isn't it reasonable to expect that his followers will be treated the same way? This further convinces me that I am on the right track.

My conscience is calm because I have not violated either the Criminal Code or the law of God — I have not caused any harm to anyone by my actions. The Bible says: "But if you suffer for the truth, then you are blessed; but do not be afraid of their fear and do not be confused... For, if it pleases the will of God, it is better to suffer for good deeds than for evil" (1 Peter 3:14, 17). Indeed, I am happy that I suffer not for crimes, but for worshipping God.

I am a short-tempered person, but thanks to the principles of the Bible, I have learned to be more patient. For example, Ephesians 4:31, 32 says: "Let all irritation and rage, and anger and shouting, and malice with all malice be removed from you. But be kind to each other, be compassionate, forgive each other, just as God in Christ forgave you." This had a positive effect on our relationship with my wife, and our marriage became stronger.

If I really participated in the activities of an extremist organization, and my views were dangerous to society, then this would have a bad effect on my family and family relations. But I have not had any serious conflicts with anyone during the time I have been a Jehovah's Witness. On the contrary, I try to apply the principle from Romans 12:18-21: "Do not reward evil for evil to anyone, but take care of good before all people. If possible on your part, be at peace with all people. Do not avenge yourself, beloved, but give place to the wrath of God. For it is written, "Vengeance is upon me, I will repay, saith the Lord." Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink: for in doing this, you will gather burning coals on his head. Do not be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good." I am sure that people with such a civic position benefit society.

Your Honor, I am accused of participating in the activities of an extremist organization, of undermining the foundations of the constitutional order and the security of the state by my actions. But this is not true. Jehovah's Witnesses do not pose a danger to the state, because they are far from violence and strive for peace. We do not participate in strikes against the authorities, we never assemble pickets or anything like that. Our Lord Jesus taught peacefulness. Loving God and others is the main quality, because: "Whoever does not love has not known God, because God is love" (1 John 4:8).

The love of God consists in the love of one's neighbor. If I don't love my neighbor, then I don't love God. It is love that motivates me to help others get to know God and become his friends. Thanks to knowledge from the Bible, people get rid of bad habits and improve their personal qualities. And this benefits both them and the state. I am sure that if everyone observed the Biblical commandments such as "do not kill", "do not steal" and others, then life would be better.

The prosecutor does not prove signs of extremist activity, but simply finds out how I expressed my faith. Perhaps some people are now thinking: "No one forbids you to believe, just believe one at a time." But is it possible? It is written in the Bible: "Let us not leave our assembly, as is the custom of some; but let us exhort one another, and the more so, the more you see the approach of that day" (Hebrews 10:25). There is a direct instruction here to "not neglect meetings," that is, God expects those who want to have a close relationship with him to worship him in an organized way — in a Christian congregation. That's why I'm doing this, following the example of the first Christians, gathering together with my co-religionists.

Your Honor, believing is to me the same as breathing. If I am not allowed to calmly express my faith, seeing signs of extremism in it, although there is no hint of anything like that in it, I feel as if my oxygen supply has been cut off. Therefore, I see in the indictment a biased attitude towards me as a Jehovah's Witness!

I emphasize once again: I did not commit any crime, but only used my constitutional right to believe in Jehovah God and live in accordance with my religious beliefs.

Your Honor, I ask you to find me innocent, acquit and restore my honor, recognizing my right to rehabilitation.

Summary of the case

Region:

Kemerovo region

Locality:

Prokopyevsk

What is suspected:

"He repeatedly expressed and explained the meaning and essence of excerpts from Holy Scripture (the Bible) and supplemented the answers of adherents of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses at a religious meeting" (from the decision on bringing as an accused)

Criminal case number:

12202320012000037

Initiated:

March 30, 2023

Current stage of the case:

proceedings in the court of first instance

Investigating:

SO in Prokopyevsk SU IC of the Russian Federation in the Kemerovo region — Kuzbass

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Case number in court:

1-203/2023

The Court of First Instance:

The Central district Court of Prokopyevsk

Judge of the Court of First instance:

Alyona Novoselova