The last word of the defendant Gevorg Gevorgyan in Nizhny Novgorod

 RUSSIA 


The last word of the defendant Gevorg Gevorgyan in Nizhny Novgorod

January 17, 2023

Nizhny Novgorod region


From the courtroom


Declaring his non-involvement in extremist activities, the believer said: "No one was harmed by my actions… Even the investigating authorities did not find any evidence. The conclusions of the prosecution are based solely on assumptions and speculation."


Transcript of the court session in the Avtozavodsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod dated 01/17/2023 in the case 1-490/2022 accusing Gevorg Surenovich Gevorgyan of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.


Gevorg Surenovich Gevorgyan:


Your Honor, in my last word, I want to tell you about my feelings about everything that is happening to me and my co-religionists.


I deeply respect what people who are assigned by the state to protect and protect people living in the country of which I am a citizen are doing. If it weren't for their selfless efforts, we ordinary people would live in chaos and anarchy. Therefore, I am grateful that my family and I can live, work and relax relatively safely.


I want to quote these words: "Everyone must obey the highest authorities, because there is no power not from God, the same one that exists is established by God... rulers cause fear not in those who do good, but in those who do evil. If you do not want to be afraid of the authorities, then continue to do good and you will hear praise from them. Therefore, he must be obeyed, not only because disobedience will lead to punishment, but also for the sake of one's own conscience" (Romans 13:1, 3-5, Modern translation).


As a believer and a disciple of Jesus Christ, I have always tried to follow this command, and, as it is written at the end of the passage I have read, my conscience is clear in this matter, because, as I have said more than once, I did not commit or even wish anything bad to anyone. I just wanted to worship God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and explore his Word, the Bible, in order to apply his just norms and principles in my life, benefiting not only myself, but also everyone around me.


Your Honor, you once asked me a question about my parents. My parents are already elderly, my dad was born in 1939. They once left Georgia, leaving everything behind because of the war that began there with Abkhazia - they were saving their children. That's how our family became refugees in Russia. But time passed, and life began to improve. The children grew up, and the parents settled in the city of Belgorod. But recently they were forced to leave their home again, which they really liked. Why? Because peaceful elderly believers began to be intimidated and called extremists.


I do not consider myself guilty and have not committed any crime, so although I had the opportunity to leave at the time, I did not take advantage of it. No one was harmed by my actions: neither the people nor the state. I am here because my dear wife and her mother are here, in need of care and care, as well as my friends.


My co—religionists and I, calm and law—abiding people, want to peacefully practice our faith, guaranteed by Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It is noteworthy that Vladimir Putin made a statement during a meeting of the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights on December 11, 2018, where the president said: "Jehovah's Witnesses are also Christians, I don't really understand why they should be persecuted."


Your Honor, I want to assure you once again of my innocence. Even the investigating authorities did not find any evidence to the contrary. The conclusions of the prosecution are based solely on assumptions and speculation.


I am not guilty, so I ask the court to acquit me.


Summary of the case


Region:

Nizhny Novgorod region

Locality:

Nizhniy Novgorod

What is suspected:

According to the investigation, he conducted a collective religious service containing an interpretation of the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses

Criminal case number:

42101220089000653

Case initiated:

November 12, 2021

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigating:

Department of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in the Nizhny Novgorod region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Case number in court:

1-17/2023 (1-490/2022)

Court:

Avtozavodsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod

Judge of the Court of first instance:

Maxim Sirotkin

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