The last word of the defendant Anatoly Sarychev in Barnaul

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Anatoly Sarychev in Barnaul

May 3, 2024

Altai Territory

Anatoly Sarychev tells the court about his difficult life, the loss of his children and what faith in God gave him. He says, "Knowing about God and his plans has given me back the desire to live."

Transcript of the court session in the Leninsky District Court of Barnaul, Altai Territory dated 05/03/2024 in the case 1-3/2024 on charges of Anatoly Nikolaevich Sarychev and others. of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Anatoly Nikolaevich Sarychev:

I would like to begin my last word with words of gratitude to all those present for participating in this difficult task.

Thank you, Your Honor, for the respectful and objective conduct of the judicial investigation and for the attitude to all participants in the process and to me in particular. Thank you to the Public Prosecutor for a calm and balanced attitude towards doing his job. Thanks to the secretaries, who always kindly helped to get acquainted with the case materials, warned about the time and date of court sessions and kept protocols in good faith. Thanks to the lawyers for their qualified help and caring participation in this difficult criminal case on religious freedom.

I thank my co—religionists - despite the weather conditions, they came and encouraged us. I am especially grateful to my dear wife. Despite serious illnesses, she always took care of me and encouraged me. I also thank my children and grandchildren.

Your Honor, for more than two years now, first the investigation and then the state prosecutor have been trying to prove that I am a Jehovah's Witness. But, Your Honor, that doesn't need to be proven. I have never hidden and do not hide my religious affiliation. I have been a Jehovah's Witness for more than 20 years and I cherish the fact that I know my God Jehovah and can worship him.

Today you rely on the Constitution of the Russian Federation. I agree with the 28th article. I respect not only the law, but also all those present here who are trying to ensure that our society is law—abiding, protected from evil and even more so from extremism - this bloody vice.

I am grateful to Jehovah for choosing me and all those who wish to impart knowledge. To do this, he gave us his law — the Bible. Your Honor, to explain how dear my beliefs are to me, let me briefly tell you about some of the events of my life.

I was born shortly after the end of the Great Patriotic War. My father was a participant in it and remained disabled. I grew up with my brother and sister. We lived in the village. Like many in the post-war years, our childhood was not easy: my father had to work very hard to feed us. Besides, we were often sick. They almost died of typhus once. My father miraculously got a rare medicine. My parents always said that God saved us. Soon we were baptized in the church — our parents believed that this would protect us.

When I was in the army, the first tragedy in my life happened: my beloved grandmother died. Six months later, I lost my father. He was only 47 years old. It was very hard for me. I still remember that pain. That was the first time I seriously thought: why is this happening? Why does God allow good people to suffer?

After returning from the army, I moved from the village to the city of Barnaul, got married. My wife and I have two beautiful sons. Life seemed to be getting better. And then, Your Honor, a terrible tragedy happened: my youngest son drowned. He had just finished first grade and went to visit his grandmother in the village for the holidays. I wasn't there to save him.

Our family couldn't cope with this tragedy, there was a family breakup. And seven years later, the second son died of drugs. Your Honor, there is nothing scarier than burying your own children! I had severe depression, I did not understand why I should continue to live, and even tried to take my own life.

I'm not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me. No way! I'm trying to show you what kind of emotional turmoil I was able to get out of thanks to God Jehovah.

I met my current wife, Nadezhda. Together with her, we began to study the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses. I learned from the Bible that there is a God, his name is Jehovah. He loves people very much. I finally got the answer to the question of why misfortunes happen to good people. And most importantly, I learned that God will soon bring dead people back to life. Your Honor, you can't even imagine what relief and joy I felt when I learned that God would resurrect my relatives, my sons! I will see them again here on earth, I will be able to hug them tightly after such a long separation.

Knowing about God and his plans gave me back the desire to live. How can I thank God for this? Worship him. This includes much more than just being called a believer.

For example, Muslims perform prayer. This is how they express their faith. Orthodox Christians go to church. This is how they express their faith. And Jehovah's Witnesses all over the world gather for weekly meetings with their co-religionists. This is how they express their faith. Indeed, in the Bible, in the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews, it is written: "Let us be attentive to one another, encouraging love and good deeds; let us not leave our congregation."

Today, in the modern world, someone can hide behind religion, faith in God, and at the same time do really bad things. How can you live by distributing drugs that kill young people? More of them are dying than in the war.

How can I associate Bible study and fellowship with fellow believers with something bad, especially extremism? After all, the Bible is the word of Jehovah's God. How wonderful our life would be if everyone learned to love the creator of life, Jehovah!

In Matthew 6, Jesus explained to his disciples how to pray: "Our Father, hallowed be thy name." The Letter to Romans 10:13 says: "For whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Unfortunately, in many Bible translations, the name of God has been unfairly removed, despite its importance. In the original, this name is written in the form of four Hebrew letters more than 7,000 times. In Russian, this name sounds like "Jehovah". If all people studied the Word of God and explored his wise advice, they would stop being angry, insulting each other, envious, hating, irritated, swearing, drinking and much more, including murder.

Once, when I was preaching in the village, a police officer asked why we were doing this. We explained it to him, and he said, "Go and preach." And the landlady, who lived with us, after learning that we were Jehovah's Witnesses, said that she would not have let us into the apartment earlier, but thanks to good deeds (we helped her with the housework, repaired the barn and toilet) She changed her mind and said: "Come at any time, I will receive you."

Jesus Christ encouraged all his disciples to do good. Why is this important? Because we are paid for good deeds with kindness. When my co-religionists and I worked somewhere, we were recommended to others because we had a good reputation. You can ask those I worked for about this, as they only speak positively about us. This is the exact opposite of the extremism that is attributed to me.

Jehovah gave people the freedom of choice. He doesn't force anyone to love him. That's why I, like millions of Jehovah's Witnesses around the world, follow him. He said that: "You are my witnesses." And I am very pleased to talk about his excellent qualities — unsurpassed wisdom, strong love for people, and his wonderful plan for the earth and humanity.

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life." Can this be called extremism or a threat to society? Therefore, Your Honor, I am pleased to talk and learn about Jehovah and his Son, Jesus Christ. It is impossible to force a person to become a Jehovah's Witness. He has to figure out for himself what the Bible really teaches. And it changes a person's life for the better.

Why do many people today claim that Jehovah's Witnesses are a sect? The first Christians were also called a sect, and the Apostle Paul was called a "contagion of society."

Jehovah wants people to know the truth about him and his amazing plan for humanity and the Earth. Therefore, using the name of God is not a crime! Our outstanding writers and poets knew this name: Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and many others.

Very often we turn to doctors when we need medical help. Jehovah's Witnesses do not refuse medical intervention, but they want high-quality treatment. Many work as nurses and doctors. Honor and glory to them that in such a difficult time, when there was a coronavirus, they tirelessly saved lives! Every citizen of the Russian Federation has the right to choose a treatment method after a constructive conversation with a doctor in order to reduce blood loss and reduce the risk of infection. And by the way, many doctors themselves refuse to transfuse someone else's blood.

Today I am accused of a deliberate crime against the foundations of the constitutional order and the security of the state, inciting religious hatred. Remember how Jesus Christ was judged. The Pharisees falsely accused him of calling himself the Son of God. Pilate said that it was not his fault. His wife said, "Let him go, I had a dream that he was a prophet." But the Pharisees shouted: "Crucify him, and release the criminal Barabbas, or we will tell Caesar." And Pilate went along with them.

The court is a place where people are always looking for the truth and hoping for justice. I want to assure you, dear court, that I have not committed any crime against the State and the foundations of the constitutional order. I just peacefully professed my faith, just using my legal right to worship, provided for in Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

We are peaceful people because God teaches us this. All over the world, many people speak positively about Jehovah's Witnesses. Why are we preaching? This is the will of God. Telling the good news from the Bible is the duty of every true Christian, and people's lives depend on it. Those who participate in the work of preaching need spiritual nourishment and learn to carry out the task assigned to them.

Jesus Christ came to earth to tell people about the Kingdom of God and to give his life for everyone. We are living at a time when Jesus' prophecy is being fulfilled that we will be judged and persecuted.

Your Honor, many witnesses were interviewed, but none of them, and not even a religious expert, explained to the court what my fault was. The expert quoted the Bible, which is considered extremist, but how can the Word of God be condemned? Let him determine for himself what is right and what is wrong.

I am a baptized Jehovah's Witness and I do not regret my choice at all. But I regret that I learned about Jehovah only in adulthood. When I became familiar with the teachings of the Bible, I began to understand what was right in the eyes of God and what was wrong. John 8:32 says, "Know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

How can I be an extremist when God hates these bloody deeds? How can I be an extremist when Jehovah says, "Respect the authorities I have established. Respect Caesar"?

I understand why this is happening. It's all said in the Bible. They are trying to illegally condemn us so that we renounce faith in the true God Jehovah. Jesus Christ warned his disciples: "I have been, and you will be persecuted… Take heart. I have conquered the world."

Luke 4:5-8 says: "The devil [Satan] tempted Jesus: "I will give you power over all these kingdoms with all their glory, because this power has been given to me, and I give it to whomever I want. So, if you bow down to me, all this will be yours." In fact, it was a bribe. Jesus said, "It is written, 'Worship your God Jehovah and serve him only.'" The dictionary says that the word "worship" means to treat someone with devoted admiration. Only Jehovah deserves exceptional devotion.

And in the end, I can't help but note that throughout the entire criminal prosecution, I met good people. From the moment of the search in my apartment to the present day, no one has offended me or been rude. I felt respect for myself.

Your Honor, how can I act unfairly, treacherously towards my God and my co-religionists?

Therefore, I ask for your fair decision. Your Honor, I am not guilty before God or before people. I ask you to pass an acquittal against me.

Summary of the case

Region:

Altai Territory

Locality:

Barnaul

What is suspected of:

According to the investigation, "he carried out activities to support the existence of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses Barnaul, including by conducting interviews... as well as direct participation in events held by representatives of this organization."

Criminal case number:

12107010001000020

Initiated:

May 25, 2021

Current stage of the case:

Proceedings in the court of first instance

Investigating:

The Federal Security Service of Russia in the Altai Territory

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Case number in court:

1-3/2024 (1-68/2023; 1-826/2022)

The Court of First Instance:

Leninsky District Court of Barnaul, Altai Territory

Judge of the Court of first instance:

Lyubov Kurushina