The last word of the defendant Rinat Kiramov in Akhtubinsk

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Rinat Kiramov in Akhtubinsk

April 12, 2023

Astrakhan region

From the courtroom

Addressing the court, the believer firmly said: "I... have not done anything wrong, criminal, I have not harmed anyone by deeds, words, or beliefs. I will continue to worship Jehovah and do his will. [...] Of course, I don't want to go to prison, but I won't betray my beliefs."

Transcript of the court session in the Akhtuba District Court of the Astrakhan region dated 04/12/2023 in case No. 1-9/2023 (1-342/2022) on charges of Kiramov Rinat Ildusovich and others. of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 and Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Kiramov Rinat Ildusovich:

First I want to thank the participants in the process: to the judge for explaining the procedural procedures, to the secretary and the assistant judge for their respectful attitude, to the assistant prosecutors for not exerting pressure on me and my family. I thank the lawyers for their professionalism and for doing everything to protect us.

I thank the guests who come to the meetings or wait in the lobby. Some of you came from other cities, and some even from abroad.

Thank you to my wife and mom for their support and that you are always there. I am also grateful to my sister Olya and her husband Vlad for putting their cases on hold and flying here from Moscow to testify. Thanks to Mikhail Ivanovich and Alexey. You also changed your plans and came from afar to the court with your wives, came out in my defense. I thank my father for his characterization and support.

In court, it is often a question of defense and prosecution witnesses. There are even secret witnesses. As you know, a witness is a person who may be aware of some circumstances that are important for the resolution of the case. I am being judged for being a Jehovah's Witness. I would like to briefly explain the meaning of this name.

As a Jehovah's Witness, I tell you about the facts known to me about God Jehovah, the Creator of heaven and earth, about his wonderful qualities and deeds, and his intention towards people. I learned these facts from the Bible. I did not appoint myself as a Jehovah's Witness. Jehovah has been inviting people to be his witnesses for a long time. A witness of God can be someone who is reliable, truthful and believes in him wholeheartedly.

The Bible calls some people witnesses of God: the apostles Paul and Peter, Jesus Christ. At one time, the Israelites were a witness nation. Living according to the laws that God had given them set them apart from the surrounding nations, and this glorified Jehovah, whom they worshipped. Addressing his servants from the pages of the Bible, Jehovah said: "You are my witnesses, my servant whom I have chosen."

Why Does God Need Witnesses? Just as defense witnesses stand up for the accused in court, so do Jehovah's Witnesses stand up for their God. This is necessary because his name has been slandered. An opponent of the Creator participated in this, which is why many people consider God cruel and unfair. Therefore, I cannot remain silent in the trial of Jehovah's dominion.

Judging by the case file, the prosecution believes that everything related to the name "Jehovah" is extremist in nature. In the last hundred years, this name has been associated with Jehovah's Witnesses, whose faith was not banned in Russia or recognized as extremist. The name of God was not invented by Jehovah's Witnesses. It was widely used already in the Middle Ages. The form of the name of God "Jehovah" has become the traditional reading of the tetragrammaton, that is, the four consonant letters denoting the name of God in the oldest biblical manuscripts. More than 100 authors used this name in their works: Pushkin, Chekhov, Tolstoy, Tsvetaeva and others. Thus, the name "Jehovah" is a part of our culture and history, it is the name of the Creator revealed in the Bible, and not an invention of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The case file says that I had a real opportunity to stop the illegal activities of the Jehovah's Witness meeting, that is, in fact, it needs to be read differently: "Kiramov could have stopped worshipping Jehovah, but did not do so, so he committed a grave crime." This is exactly the case, because I am accused of saying prayers, singing songs, studying the Bible, discussing it with others. I was even included in the "Register of organizations and individuals involved in extremist activities and terrorism." It happened a few months ago, although I am still considered innocent. Without committing any violent or dangerous actions, I am on the same line as those who blow up houses and take hostages. I think this is unfair, because I am being judged for believing in God.

Our trial is coming to an end and we can sum up some results. Today is the 23rd meeting taking place with our participation. The verdict will be announced next. What have we heard during this time? The charges against each defendant were read out for 40 minutes, although I still don't understand what our fault is. Next, 27 volumes of the criminal case were examined. A lot of attention was paid to reading out phonograms where people study the Bible, pray, and sing songs. They also announced the contents of several publications with biblical advice on raising children, building a family and taking care of health.

22 witnesses were questioned. What have we heard from them? Some do not remember anything significant beyond the prescription of events, someone refused to testify. I remember Shtanko's interrogation. She said that the meetings talked about the superiority of Jehovah's Witnesses, as they believe that "Jehovah God is one and omnipotent." This argument sounds strange. In the Bible itself, in the Orthodox translation of Archimandrite Macarius, it says: "I am Jehovah. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty." And another famous translation says: "Listen, Israel: Our God is Jehovah. There is only one Jehovah." So, the fact that Jehovah is one and Omnipotent is stated in the Bible itself and it is unwise to blame us for this.

Other witnesses described us positively and said that we were not involved in extremist activities. None of the witnesses said that any of us caused damage, encouraged refusal of medical intervention, family destruction, non-recognition of state bodies, repression, genocide, deportations, or that we negatively assessed persons who are not Jehovah's Witnesses. During the whole process, there was no evidence of what we are accused of.

In any case, it is unthinkable for me to renounce faith in Jehovah. Morally, it's like renouncing your parents. Besides, I've devoted most of my life to this business. I became a Jehovah's Witness at the age of 13, for this I did not need to participate in the activities of a legal entity or join it. They become Jehovah's witnesses when they dedicate their lives to God in prayer and are baptized by completely immersing themselves in water. Since then, I have simply worshipped Jehovah and have been doing so until today. Why, with the liquidation of the Jehovah's Witness Management Center, should I stop believing and being afraid of everything? If a person is not ready to make sacrifices for the sake of his faith, then this is a hobby, not faith.

Over the past 20+ years, various difficulties have arisen in my path. There was never anything illegal in the way I expressed my faith. Obviously, someone didn't like my beliefs. For example, I was threatened, beaten, taken to the police, the state sent me to work in the Far North, I served 1.5 years in prison and now, perhaps, I still face a long sentence. I will stand my ground, because my beliefs are sincere, I know that I have not done anything wrong, criminal, I have not harmed anyone by deeds, words, or beliefs. There is not a single victim in the case, no damage has been done.

I have lived in Akhtubinsk for 12 years. If my religion was really dangerous, criminal, then over the years it has manifested itself in something. But there are no such facts. I believe that on the contrary, my faith and beliefs were beneficial to society, because biblical principles ennoble human life. Thanks to them, my life has become happy and meaningful. They helped me find a loving, devoted and caring wife.

The Word of God calls for spouses to have such a close relationship, as if they were a rope made of several strands. The more they communicate, the more they have common interests, the stronger the relationship. Galya and I did just that: we walked together, played sports, studied at a music school. Every day they set aside time for leisurely conversations. The storm that broke into our lives on November 9th separated us and caused us a lot of pain. But we did our best not to distance ourselves: we wrote letters as often as we could; my wife came to all court sessions, sought permission to meet. The Bible also encourages you not to stop loving your wife, to be sensitive to her. Thanks to this and other principles, Galya and I managed to keep the spark in our relationship and the feeling that our honeymoon had just ended.

If we talk about my relatives, then I have warm relations with them regardless of their religious views (my father is a Muslim, my sister is Orthodox).

I also want to say about my friends. Holy Scripture advises to be selective when choosing friends and to develop loyalty and honesty yourself. That's why I have reliable friends who didn't leave me in trouble. They supported me and my wife all this time — they wrote letters, came to the trial, made gifts, helped with the transfer of products to the pre-trial detention center. To do this, they took up a queue sometimes even from two o'clock in the morning.

Close relations with Jehovah have given real freedom and firm hope for the future. I believe that the biblical promises will be fulfilled, and the whole earth will become a paradise, people will be young and healthy. Everyone has their own home, life is serene and you can enjoy it as long as you obey God, even for eternity! Such hope helps to endure difficulties right now, and I want others to have the same confidence in a better future as I do. In addition, biblical advice is already helping to make life better: they show how to resolve differences, how to become a valuable employee, how to raise children. That's why I shared with others what I learned from the Bible. However, such peaceful activities are criminalized nowadays.

Jehovah's Witnesses were also persecuted in the Soviet Union. They were sent to Siberia, imprisoned, and worked in logging in the most difficult conditions. After decades of persecution, the survivors were rehabilitated and even issued a certificate of victims of political repression. And now they are putting their children and grandchildren among others.

If you look even further into the past, then during the Russian Empire, Jehovah's Witnesses were also persecuted. Back then they were called Bible Researchers. For example, Simeon Kozlitsky was exiled to hard labor for life in the territory now belonging to Kazakhstan for preaching about Jehovah.

But religious persecution of dissidents was in Russia even earlier. I would like to give a short quote from the novel "Resurrection" by L. N. Tolstoy. This is a dialogue between the lawyer and the main character:

— No, yes, this is an amazing case… People in the village were going to read the Gospel, the authorities came and dispersed them. The next Sunday they gathered again, then they called the sergeant, drew up an act and they were put on trial. The prosecutor's comrade accused, there was physical evidence on the table — the Gospel. And they were sentenced to exile. This is something terrible, is it really true?

— What surprises you so much?

— Is there really a law according to which a person can be exiled for reading the Gospel with others?

— Not only to be exiled to places not so remote, but to penal servitude, if only it is proved that, while reading the Gospel, they allowed themselves to interpret it to others not as ordered and therefore condemned the church interpretation.

As you can see, there were persecutions for the faith in the past, and they are still there. Even the Apostle Paul, who, by the way, was also in prison for his beliefs, said: "Everyone who wants to live with devotion to God will be persecuted."

But besides the difficulties, there is also something good. Looking back at the 1.5 years of imprisonment, I can say that I gained more than I lost. My faith in Jehovah has become stronger, difficulties have made me stronger and helped me understand what is really important in life. I also made a lot of friends through letters. I received about 3,000 of them from 46 countries.

I am proud that I am being judged as a Jehovah's Witness, and not as a thief or a fraudster. My conscience is clear. I consider it a great honor to speak here in court as a Witness of my God Jehovah. I am also glad that I can contribute to the protection of religious freedom in our country. After all, this freedom is built on such cases as on bricks.

Interestingly, the Bible describes several trials. For example, the previously mentioned Apostle Paul spent 2 years in prison and about 2 more years under house arrest awaiting sentencing. He was accused of organizing riots and desecrating the temple. Paul was slandered. These accusations were just an excuse to silence him, imprison him, or even execute him. In fact, the Apostle Paul was judged for his beliefs. He said it himself: "I stand before the court for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers." He was judged for believing in the fulfillment of God's promises recorded in the Holy Scriptures. Later, the Roman emperor released him.

Jesus Christ was also judged. Strangely enough, he was also accused of extremist activities. Christ was accused of calling for rebellion, proclaiming himself King, corrupting the people, and forbidding others to pay taxes. In fact, he was charged with undermining the security of the state. But Jesus clearly noticed that the rightness of wisdom is confirmed by its deeds. That is, the best proof will be our behavior, our very life.

Christ was judged by Pontius Pilate. He understood that Jesus was innocent. The life of Christ, the kind of man he was, what he taught, spoke of his purity before the law. Pilate even asked the accusers directly, "What evil did he do?" But, as we know, Pilate sentenced him to death.

Centuries have passed, and many call themselves followers of Jesus, Christians. And the ideas preached by Christ have become so well known that they are sometimes mistaken for folk wisdom. For example, it was Jesus Christ who expressed the so-called "golden rule": "As you want to be treated, do the same to others." It is noteworthy that this axiom is written on the wall in the pre-trial detention center in which we are being held. Apparently, the administration wants to awaken the good in people in this way. Surprisingly, I was arrested for preaching the same ideas. I would like to repeat the words of Christ: "What evil have we really done?"

As already mentioned, Jehovah's Witnesses were rehabilitated after decades of persecution in the USSR. Now we are considered criminals again. It is obvious that over time we will be reinstated in our rights again, since our activities are exclusively peaceful. So maybe then it's worth stopping the criminal prosecution now?

No evidence of my guilt was provided in the case. The prosecution is focused on the fact that I am a Jehovah's Witness, and I do not hide it. But being a Jehovah's Witness and continuing the activities of a liquidated religious organization are different concepts. In Akhtubinsk and Znamensk, Jehovah's Witnesses have never had a legal entity (MRO), so I could not resume its activities. I just worshipped God and studied the Bible. This is a common form of expression of faith for believers, which has never depended on the existence of any legal entity. The Supreme Court did not evaluate the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses and did not recognize it as extremist. It wasn't hatred that drove me, but love for people. The activity I was engaged in is not dangerous, and I did not want dangerous consequences, and there could not be any from such a peaceful teaching.

In conclusion, I want to say that I do not regret anything. I will continue to worship Jehovah and do his will. Of course, I don't want to go to jail, but I won't betray my beliefs.

In history, sometimes entire countries and judicial systems persecuted people for their views and faith, for example, during the Inquisition. At that time, those in power were confident in the correctness of their actions. Generations have passed, and humanity has condemned their arbitrariness. I am sure that Your Honor will not deprive a person of his freedom because of his beliefs, and will not allow our family to be separated for many years because of a false accusation against me. After all, it would be unfair and cruel.

When a person does a good deed, he feels satisfied. We are so built that we feel more happy when we do something for others, rather than getting it from them. And you can even feel freer from certain actions, for example, when you quit smoking or pay off a loan. In the past, people let birds go free to experience this feeling of freedom. Pushkin described it this way:

In a foreign land, I sacredly observe the Native custom of antiquity: I release a bird Into the wild At the bright spring festival. I became accessible to consolation; Why should I complain to God When I could grant freedom to at least one creature!

I think that when an innocent person is released from prison, they feel a sense of satisfaction and freedom.

I know for sure that you can be free in prison, and being free, you can be in prison. This inner feeling of freedom cannot be taken away from me. Thanks to a clear conscience, I have been experiencing it all the time of my imprisonment. My life is entirely in the hands of my Heavenly Father, the Judge of all. Right now, I feel like I'm at a Bible school graduation. I've learned a lot here and now I'm waiting to be assigned. Wherever I am sent, I am sure that my God will be with me there, because I have remained faithful to him, and I have done nothing wrong in front of the state.

Your Honor, I ask you to acquit me and attach the last word to the case file.

Kosyanenko Sergey

is a convict

Summary of the case

Region:

Astrakhan region

Locality:

Akhtubinsk

What is suspected:

According to the investigation, "they organized meetings... including through the use of videoconferencing ... namely in the form of a collective religious worship service, consisting of public playback of audio recordings and video recordings ... consistently performed songs from a special collection of the religious teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses and prayers to Jehovah God."

The number of the criminal case:

12102120006000100

Initiated:

November 9, 2021

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigating:

Akhtuba interdistrict Investigative Department of the SU IC of the Russian Federation in the Astrakhan region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1), 282.3 (1)

Case number in court:

1-9/2023 (1-342/2022)

Court of First Instance:

Akhtubinsky District Court of the Astrakhan region

Judge of the Court of first instance:

Anatoly Proskurin