The last word of the defendant Alexander Litvinyuk in Armyansk

 CRIMEA 

The last word of the defendant Alexander Litvinyuk in Armyansk

November 25, 2022

Crimea

From the courtroom

Addressing the court with the last word, the believer said: "As a Jehovah's Witness, extremism in any of its manifestations is alien to me. I am a peaceful person and I have been proving this with my life for decades."

Transcript of the court session in the Armenian City Court of the Republic of Crimea dated 11/25/2022 in the case 1-39/2022 on charges of Litvinyuk Alexander Viktorovich of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Litvinyuk Alexander Viktorovich: Dear court! Dear participants of the process! First of all, I would like to thank you, Your Honor. You have explained to us, the defendants, many times how each stage of the trial should go. Thank you for not ceasing to be patient with us. I would also like to mention the work of your assistant Olesya for trying to help us, the defendants, not to miss anything when we turned to her for help.

I also want to thank the state prosecutor Minigul Shavketovna for the fact that she always adhered to prosecutorial ethics and calmly treated us, the defendants, despite our remarks addressed to her.

For eight months now, we have been communicating with our defenders Yulia Anatolyevna and Sergey Viktorovich. I want to express my great gratitude to them. This is the first case for you in this city, but you tried to delve into the essence of the case and, as caring parents, helped us prepare for court sessions.

I really want to thank our friends who came to the courthouse day after day to support me, my friend Alexander and our wives. All of you are still trying to be with us to show attention, love and strengthen us with words from the Bible. It says: "A friend loves at all times, and as a brother will appear in time of adversity" (Proverbs 17:17). When you have such reliable friends, it is much easier to follow the path of life.

I especially want to thank my dear wife Nadia, with whom we have been going through life together for 43 years. After our wedding, I was drafted into the army, and we didn't see each other for two years. Now, perhaps, we are also going to break up, but my dear wife, despite the difficulties with her health, always tries to cheer me up. She and I are determined to continue to support each other on our Christian path, just as Jesus supported his disciples before returning to heaven.

I thank the other defendants, Jehovah's Witnesses, for their courage and strong faith, which they continue to show in custody, as well as their wives, who support them by traveling long distances.

It is a great honor for me to serve the Almighty God Jehovah and his Son Jesus Christ. By preaching the glad tidings of the Kingdom, Jesus also healed people and even raised the dead, thereby showing what the Kingdom of God would do for people on a larger scale. Thanks to the Bible, each of us can imagine what a wonderful time it will be. Imagine how the elderly return to youth, how we meet and embrace the people dear to our hearts, from whom we were once separated by death. Although at first glance it may sound like a fairy tale, but it is a wonderful plan of Almighty God! And in this plan, his great love and strong desire to remove all tears of sorrow from people's faces are visible.

But in preaching this good news, Jesus faced opposition. Religious leaders spread slander about him, and when he resurrected his friend Lazarus, instead of rejoicing, they gathered a council of more than 70 people and decided to kill Jesus. John 11:53 says, "From then on, they began to think about how to kill him." But look who else they decided to kill. John 12:9-11 goes on to say, "Many Jews found out where Jesus was and came there to look not only at Jesus, but also at Lazarus, whom he raised up. Then the senior priests conspired to kill Lazarus too, because because of him, many Jews who came there believed in Jesus." Just imagine, because of the fear of being exposed by Jesus in the religious lies with which they fed the people, because of the fear of losing power over the people, they decided to kill both the Son of God and the one whom he resurrected. Therefore, when Jesus sent his disciples to preach the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, he warned them with the words from Mark 13:9: "But be ready. You will be put on trial and will be taken to rulers and kings because of me so that they will hear about me." And in John 16:2, Jesus even warned, "And the time will come when those who kill you will think that this is how they serve God."

In fulfilling the commission of Jesus Christ, the disciples had to be prepared to suffer. But what did Jesus assure his disciples of? Matthew 24:14 says: "The glad tidings of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the earth so that all nations will hear it, and then the end will come." If the news is good, then what should come to an end? All the evil that people face today. What else do we learn from this Scripture? Before the Kingdom of God begins its reign, the legal side of God's law will be fulfilled throughout the earth. Which one? To warn through their servants not only about the approach of the heavenly Kingdom and its many blessings that await people, but also to help those who wish to live on earth forever under the rule of this Kingdom, get acquainted with the norms of God and change their way of life.

Like Christians of the first century, we are confident that nothing will prevent the fulfillment of Jesus' words — neither persecution, nor even imprisonment. This message is being heard today in 240 countries and territories, all over the world, in more than 1,000 languages. In order for Jehovah's Witnesses to be united by the same thoughts, views and reasoning, they have a unified training program throughout the earth. And all of us, dear court, visited one meeting with you with the help of a video recording, and we examined the other together at the court session with the help of a transcript.

It is good to know that in some countries the authorities have appreciated the literature of Jehovah's Witnesses and are trying to raise the moral level of the population with its help. For example, representatives of the Thai authorities use literature published by Jehovah's Witnesses as part of a nationwide program to improve the level of education of officials in such matters as parenting, preventing domestic violence, and strengthening the physical and mental health of the population. In January 2023, it will be nine years since the Thai authorities began using the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses to solve social problems.

At the initiative of the Thai Government, a nationwide educational program is being conducted with the participation of more than 8,700 regional social learning centers throughout the country. In addition, the Government has established 11 educational centers for social development responsible for training public figures. The chairman of the Educational Center for Social Development in one of the provinces said: "I am impressed by the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses. They have a clear goal — to help people gain knowledge about the Creator. We have a common task — to promote the improvement of moral standards in society so that people live in peace and their quality of life improves." He adds: "For example, the article "How not to hurt each other with words", published in one of the issues of the magazine "Wake up!", discusses a topic that the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is trying to convey to leaders."

Unfortunately, in Russia, some of the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses are included in the Federal List of Extremist Materials. And those who want to help people understand the Bible better are persecuted and imprisoned. I, as well as my co-religionist, have been charged with continuing the activities of a legal entity, and recordings of the services of Jehovah's Witnesses have been provided as evidence. Throughout the entire trial, we tried to explain that, in fact, we did not continue any extremist activities or the activities of any legal entities. As believers, we gathered together and exercised our right to profess the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, which is not prohibited in Russia, on the basis of Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Like Jehovah's Witnesses in Thailand and around the world, we want to help people get closer to God based on the Bible and become truly happy.

Perhaps someone thought that after the prohibition of legal entities of Jehovah's Witnesses, believers should stop thinking and treating God and people the way they did before the liquidation. Their faith and moral principles are based on the Bible, not on the Charter of a legal entity. The conscience of every Jehovah's Witness, trained according to the Bible, encourages us to make considerable efforts to constantly comply with biblical principles and fulfill the will of God. And to get his approval, Jehovah's Witnesses do not need any legal entity. A legal entity is only necessary to conclude contracts when it owns a religious building or needs to rent a room for weekly meetings, or a stadium for holding a district congress. I do not lose hope that we will definitely meet again, but not in court, but at one of the congresses of Jehovah's Witnesses and warmly greet each other.

Previously, when Jehovah's Witnesses did not have their own building, they rented a room for meetings of the meeting. 30 years ago, on April 17, 1992, my wife and I attended such a meeting for the first time. It took place in this very building and in this very hall, where we are all present at the court session now. Then it was the Supper of Remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ, or the Lord's Supper. What my wife and I heard on it prompted us to start researching the Bible. I grew up a calm child, but in my younger years, when I started boxing, I got into a company where everyone had several long prison terms. My friends told me that my choice would lead to death. Indeed, I have had to face such situations more than once when my life was hanging by a thread.

Years later, having embarked on the path of biblical truth, I gained a close relationship with my heavenly Father Jehovah, strengthened my marriage and became part of a worldwide brotherhood consisting of almost nine million Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm really happy! And this happiness is not worth all the treasures put together on earth. But in order to remain happy, I do not need a legal entity, just as I do not need it to communicate with my dear God Jehovah and learn to imitate the example of Jesus Christ. I don't need a legal entity to communicate with my spiritual brothers and sisters, enjoy life and help people get to know the true God better.

As you all know, there is an article in the Criminal Code that provides for punishment for a person who knew about an impending crime, but did not warn about it. The Bible says the same thing. One day, Jehovah God addressed the prophet Ezekiel with these words: "Son of man... If I say to a sinner, "You will die," and you do not warn him to stop doing evil and save his life, then, because he is a sinner, he will die for his sin, but I will call you to account for his blood. But if you warn the sinner, but he does not stop doing evil and does not leave his evil way, then he will die for his sin, and you will save your life" (Ezekiel 3:18, 19). The Prophet Ezekiel approached this task with all seriousness and responsibility, despite the fact that God had warned him that the people to whom he was sending him were "with a stubborn heart."

If we draw a parallel, then today God also speaks to all people all over the earth. The biblical book of Amos 3:7 says: "The Most High Lord Jehovah does nothing until he reveals his plan to his servants." What does God tell people today through His servants? The fact that every person needs to make a choice: to listen to the news about the Kingdom of God and continue to live, but already forever, in heavenly conditions on earth, or reject God's message and perish. This time is already on the threshold. God will cleanse the earth of those who do evil and do not want to change in order to live in accordance with his norms. We, as his servants, must not remain silent at this time in order to stay alive! We must convey this life-saving message to people.

Yes, we live in difficult times, but God, through his Word, the Bible, informs us that the period that he, in accordance with the principle of justice, set aside to resolve controversial issues raised at the beginning of human history, during the rebellion in Eden, is approaching the end. Through this ancient book, God warns that the great and terrible Day of Jehovah is approaching. It's a day like it hasn't been since humans have existed. He will come to the whole inhabited earth to expose all evil deeds on it, to destroy all those who do evil. [...] However, God assures us: "Whoever listens to me will live in safety, without fear of any trouble" (Proverbs 1:33). Wars, diseases and even death will no longer overshadow life, they will become a thing of the past. Moreover, God will wipe away all the tears of sorrow for people, bringing the dead back to life. […]

Through the Scriptures, the Judge of the whole earth, Jehovah, encourages reflection. He urges: "Stop doing evil, do deeds worthy of repentance, so as not to disappear from the face of the earth on the approaching Day of Jehovah." The Almighty is talking about Jesus Christ: "I have made him a witness for the nations, a leader and ruler of the nations" (Isaiah 55:4). And in the book of Psalms 2:9, 12 it says: "Serve Jehovah with reverence, rejoice in trembling excitement. Honor your son so that God does not get angry and you do not die, because his anger can flare up instantly. Happy are all those who seek his protection." So, we see that it is vital for all people, regardless of their status in society, to act without delay — to listen to what God says in order to be saved. […]

In conclusion, dear court, I would like to say that we would never have been Jehovah's Witnesses if we had incited hatred and religious intolerance or undermined the constitutional order, as it is recorded in our criminal case. In the same criminal case it is written that there are no victims. I would like to inform you that there are victims, these are the defendants themselves, who have been labeled extremists and are being tried for this.

Your Honor, as a Jehovah's Witness, extremism in any form is alien to me. I am a peace-loving person and I have been proving this with my life for decades. Many people know this, and therefore, in the criminal case against me, there are positive characteristics not only from neighbors, acquaintances, but also from police officers. What does this mean? That I am not being judged for evil deeds, but for my faith.

And I want to assure you, Your Honor, and the prosecution that no matter what the court's decision is, I will continue to treat all of you with respect and Christian love. I hope that the end of this criminal case will be better than its beginning.

I ask you to pass a fair acquittal to me and my friend.

Summary of the case

Region:

Crimea

Locality:

Armiansk

What is suspected:

"Acting as a group of persons by prior agreement... [held] meetings, religious performances, studied materials, attracted new members of the organization" (from the decision on bringing in as an accused)

Criminal case number:

12107350001000113

Case initiated:

August 2, 2021

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigating:

The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Republic of Crimea

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (1)

Case number in court:

1-39/2022

Court:

Armenian City Court of the Republic of Crimea

Judge:

Tatiana Fedeneva