The last word of the defendant Svetlana Ryzhkova in Shuya

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Svetlana Ryzhkova in Shuya

January 24, 2024

Ivanovo region

The 70-year-old believer said: "The accusations made against me are unsubstantiated, unfounded and groundless." She said that she had worked in healthcare for 52 years, showing kindness to people, but now that she herself suffers from serious illnesses, she has been deprived of many social benefits.

Transcript of the court session in the Shuisky city Court of the Ivanovo region dated 01/24/2024 in the case 1-1/2024 (1-2/2023; 1-138/2022) on the accusation of Svetlana Anatolyevna Ryzhkova and others. of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2, Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Ryzhkova Svetlana Anatolyevna:

Your Honor, first of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for your respect, impartiality and desire to understand the essence of a new issue for everyone in the context of criminal law, as well as for allowing our friends to be present in the meeting room — it was a great support for us. The criminal prosecution for faith was a great shock to me. I lost my peace and sense of security when on April 19, 2018, 8 people rang my doorbell early in the morning: someone in uniform, and someone in civilian clothes. One of them, presenting his ID, asked if I was a Jehovah's Witness, and in this regard announced that a search would take place. It was an emotional shock for me. I was stressed, scared and confused, so it was unexpected, because I didn't do anything wrong, I'm not a criminal. The search lasted about 3 hours, then I was taken to the Investigative Committee for interrogation, which also lasted about 3 hours.

But I am comforted and supported by the realization that my conscience is clear before God and people. I have nothing to be ashamed of, because I have not committed any crime and have not harmed anyone. All I did was worship Jehovah God with my friends, read the Bible, and pray. This, according to the prosecution, is a crime, but there is no way to agree with this.

I started studying the Bible in 2008, when I went to work in St. Petersburg. I was born in a small village in Shuisky district. My father was a communist, and little was said about religion. Atheism was taught at school, and therefore I didn't know much about God. My grandmother sowed the seeds of truth for me, she often quoted verses from the Holy Scriptures, and when I met Jehovah's Witnesses on the street of St. Petersburg, I became interested and eventually realized that this was the truth.

As children, we talked about God, but all the ideas about him were that he was watching us and punishing us. How my idea of God changed when I gained accurate knowledge about him. I learned from the Bible that God has a name —Jehovah, and he is not only the Creator of the Universe, the earth, people, animals, but also the Legislator of moral norms. But most importantly, he is a loving heavenly Father. And like any loving father, he listens attentively to my prayers, answers them and supports me. I also learned how strong God's love for us sinful people is. Not every person would sacrifice their son for the sake of others, and in the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16, it says: "God loves the world so much that He gave his only begotten son so that everyone who believes in him would not perish, but would find eternal life." I realized that this price was paid for me too.

In the Bible, Jehovah is called the God of Truth. He is so called because he always keeps his word. What he promised, he fulfilled in the past, he is fulfilling now. Jehovah's prophecies have always come true. The sentences approved by him were carried out. In the Bible, these events are presented as indisputable historical facts. Unlike other books, the Bible is not based on myths and legends (as some people think). In it we find facts that are confirmed by history, archaeology, sociology and other sciences.

One of the Psalmists wrote these words about Jehovah: "Your law is the truth, all your commandments are the truth, the essence of your word is the truth." Since the author of the Bible is God Jehovah, the Bible is the truth. Jesus Christ repeated the words of the Psalmist when he said in prayer to God: "Your word is the truth." Jesus Christ knew that all his Father's words were absolutely unshakable and reliable.

Similarly, Jesus Christ himself taught the truth. When Jesus was brought to the court in the palace of Pontius Pilate, he said: "I was born and came into the world to testify about the truth, everyone who is on the side of the truth listens to my words." Then Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" And this question has been asked by people for thousands of years and they are looking for an answer to it. Someone will say, "What is true for one is not necessarily true for the other." Yes! Everyone has their own truth, but the truth is the same. It is absolute, and it is unchangeable. The truth does not change because of our knowledge or our ignorance. No one believes that there is no truth. When it comes to fields such as medicine, mathematics, physics, people believe in the indisputability of some things. Who among us would risk getting on a plane if he doubted that the laws of aerodynamics really work. Provable truths exist, they surround us, and we trust them with our lives. The truth, like a mirror, helps us to see the facts and, if necessary, to correct something in ourselves. The truth helps to do the right thing. Truth is like a magnet — it attracts sincere people to God. Truth is light.

Imagine a person who is blind from birth, who has regained his sight after surgery, he will be just happy. So do people who learn and begin to appreciate the truth. It is impossible to stop her. Why? Because the Almighty God Jehovah is its source.

How did the truth help me? Studying the Bible has made my life better, and I have received answers to many questions that interest me, for example: what is the meaning of life? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why are there so many wars if everyone wants peace?

Studying the Bible, I saw my flaws, realized how wrong I was living. I am grateful to Jehovah for allowing me to get to know him better and change my life. How could I thank God for all the good he has done for me? To worship him, and this includes doing good deeds, reading the Bible, gathering with fellow believers for worship, and praying. I have been doing this for 15 years.

I have worked in the medical field for 52 years. I tried to do good to people, to show compassion. I have never wanted and do not want to harm people, and even more so the order and constitutional order established by law. I have letters of thanks and certificates of honor for my work.

Everything that happens to me in connection with the persecution is also a shock to my family and friends, although they do not share my religious views. But this did not separate us, they are always there in difficult times, and I love them very much. My son and sister take care of me every day and support me.

I also want to draw attention to how the persecution has affected my financial situation. Firstly, having 52 years of experience, I could have received veteran's benefits, but in connection with the persecution I was deprived of this right. Secondly, my accounts have been blocked by Rosfinmonitoring in connection with being listed as an extremist. Thirdly, for 5 years I have not been able to leave the region to receive full-fledged treatment and rest, for example, to go to a sanatorium or to the sea to restore my health, since I have a number of diseases for the treatment of which, according to indications, a marine climate is necessary. I am registered with an endocrinologist, as I have a parathyroid tumor removed. I also have problems with my spine (I had a spinal stroke), with my intestines, gastroduodenitis and a number of other diseases.

Your Honor, in connection with the above, I do not consider myself guilty, but on the contrary, I consider myself the injured party. The accusations made against me are unsubstantiated, unfounded and groundless.

Summary of the case

Region:

Ivanovo region

Locality:

Shuya

What is suspected of:

According to investigators, he participated in divine services, which is interpreted as participation and financing of the activities of an "extremist organization" (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on the liquidation of all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses)

Criminal case number:

11802240009000024

Initiated:

April 19, 2018

The current stage of the case:

Appeal

Is being investigated by:

The SU IC of the Russian Federation for the Ivanovo region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

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

The number of the case in court:

1-1/2024 (1-2/2023; 1-138/2022)

Court:

Shuisky City Court of the Ivanovo region

Judge of the Court of first instance:

Anton Mokin