The last word of the defendant Alexander Korolev in Saransk

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Alexander Korolev in Saransk

August 15, 2022

Mordovia

From the courtroom

The believer told how communicating with Jehovah's Witnesses helped him leave his criminal life. "And now I'm a defendant again. It's a terrible thing — I'm accused of extremism," he told the court. "It is now in your hands to prevent injustice, to prevent the fate of innocent people from being broken."

Transcript of the court session in the Leninsky District Court of Saransk dated 08/15/2022 in the case 1-13/2022 (1-216/2021) on charges of Korolev Alexander Evgenievich and others. of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Korolev Alexander Evgenievich: A lot has already been mentioned in our trial. What would I like to say in my last word? This is the third trial in my life. The first case was at the age of 15: the guys and I stole window blocks from the production room and sold them for a three-liter jar of moonshine. [...] At the age of 17, there was a robbery when we were extorting money from passers-by who stopped for the night with toy pistols in the parking lot. The sentence was: "Five years in prison with four years of probation." Did I have criminal intent then? Sure.

I understand very well what criminal intent is. Therefore, I can say that it is a mistake to accuse me of criminal intent in today's trial. In my younger years, my future seemed certain. Neighbors, fellow villagers, relatives, cellmates, and myself — everyone believed that the criminal path and colonies were my future. But in June 1998, I was baptized by Jehovah's Witnesses, and there was no question of any crime. The inspector, with whom I checked in monthly, was very sorry that my article did not fit the big amnesty in 2000.

And now I'm a defendant again. It's a terrible thing, I'm accused of extremism! It's unpleasant, but I'm not sad. I draw strength from biblical stories, for example, from the life of the prophet Daniel. In the 6th chapter of the book of Daniel it is written: "It pleased Darius to place one hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, so that they would be in the whole kingdom, and over them three princes, of whom Daniel was one, so that the satraps would give them an account and that the king would not be burdened. Daniel was superior to other princes and satraps, because he had a high spirit, and the king was already thinking of putting him over the whole kingdom. Then the princes and satraps began to look for a pretext to accuse Daniel of governing the kingdom; but they could not find any pretext or errors, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. And these people said, "We will not find a pretext against Daniel unless we find it against him in the law of his God."

Your Honor, pay attention to the expression "they started looking for an excuse." The prosecution witness, Konstantin Gennadievich Mikheichev, did not come to the trial. I think it's because of conscience. He would not be able to confirm what he told the investigator. According to him, he has attended divine services for 5 years and knows me well, but I have not been able to remember this person. I think if he met me, he wouldn't recognize me either. Why would the investigation need such a false witness? Probably to bring the case to court.

Anyway, let's go back to Daniel, who lives by himself and suspects nothing. From the 6th verse of the 6th chapter we continue to read: "Then these princes and satraps approached the king and said to him: "King Darius, live forever! All the princes of the kingdom, governors, satraps, councillors and military commanders agreed among themselves that a royal decree should be made and a command issued that whoever within thirty days asks any god or man other than you, the king, should be thrown into the lion's den. So confirm this definition, king, and sign the decree so that it will be unchanged, like the law of the Medes and Persians, and so that it will not be violated." King Darius signed the decree and this command. But Daniel, when he learned that such a decree had been signed, went into his house; and the windows in his upper room were open against Jerusalem, and he knelt three times a day, and prayed to his God, and praised Him, as he had done before."

It is unlikely that anyone will condemn this man with outstanding faith today! He prayed regularly to the God Jehovah, and even the threat of death did not stop him. I would also like to have a faith like Daniel's. I will pray to the true God to give me such faith that no persecution will break it. I really hope that my co-religionists around the world will also continue to pray for me.

Let's get back to our story. From the 11th verse: "Then these people looked and found Daniel praying and asking for mercy before his God, then they came and told the king about the royal command: "Did you not sign a decree that every person who asks for any god or person except you, king, should be thrown into the lion's den?" The king replied and said, "This word is as firm as the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not allow for change." Then they answered and said to the king: "Daniel, who is one of the captive sons of Judah, does not pay attention either to you, king, or to the decree signed by you, but prays his prayers three times a day." When the king heard this, he was greatly saddened and set in his heart to save Daniel, and even before the setting of the sun he tried hard to deliver him. But those people approached the king and said to him: "Know, king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians, no definition or decree approved by the king can be changed." Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and threw him into the lion's den; at the same time, the king said to Daniel: "Your God, whom you always serve, He will save you!""

The reaction of King Darius is interesting. He understands that he and the law have been shamelessly used for personal gain. He is well aware that an innocent person is suffering. Darius can no longer change anything, and he can only rely on Almighty God. Dear court, it is now in your hands to prevent injustice, to prevent the fate of innocent people from being broken. You have the grounds and the power to prevent the suffering of people who have not committed a crime, who are on trial only for holding divine services.

Let's finish reading: "And a stone was brought and placed on the opening of the ditch, and the king sealed it with his ring and the ring of his nobles, so that nothing would change in the order of Daniel. Then the king went to his palace, went to bed without supper and did not even order food to be brought to him, and sleep fled from him. In the morning, the king got up at dawn and hurriedly went to the lion's den, and when he came to the moat, he called Daniel in a plaintive voice, and the king said to Daniel: "Daniel, servant of the living God! Could your God, whom you always serve, have saved you from the lions?" Then Daniel said to the king, "King, live forever! My God sent his angel and blocked the mouth of the lions, and they did not harm me, because I was clean before Him, and before you, king, I did not commit a crime."

Of course, I am far from Daniel, and it is unlikely that an angel will come to me, but I count on the power of Jehovah, because I strive to closely adhere to the requirements of Jehovah. And I have not committed a crime against the laws of the Russian Federation.

Not all trials recorded in the Holy Scriptures ended positively, sometimes people loyal to God were executed. It should not be surprising that even today attempts are being made to distort reality and pass off religion as a crime. According to the investigation, it turns out that the sum has changed due to the change of the places of the terms. As in one riddle, it is not from the Bible: "The guy had a pair of new boots. Having decided to sell them, he sends his son to the market, setting the price at 25 rubles. At the market, two one-legged people approach their son and ask him to sell one boot to each. The son agrees and charges them 12 rubles each. 50 kopecks. When he gets home, he gives the money to his father and tells the whole story. The father is not happy with his son's behavior and says that less money could be taken from the disabled, gives his son 5 rubles and sends him back to the market: "Go return it." On the way, my son felt sorry for the money, and he put 3 rubles in his pocket. He finds one-legged people on the market and gives them a ruble each. So. As a result, each of them gave 11 rubles. 50 kopecks, which totals 23 rubles. And another 3 rubles. in your pocket. So out of 25 rubles it turned out to be 26."

Dear court, in our case, as in this riddle, you have to separate the "chaff" from the "grain" and find the truth. Is it probably hard to decide human destinies? I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. The CPE staff did their best to confuse this matter as much as possible. The investigation, with dozens of volumes, falsification of facts, and "streamlined" formulations, tried to create the illusion of a huge and terrible crime. But these efforts do not stand up to scrutiny. Out of impotence, I am accused of so-called conspiracy. And they might not have mentioned the parties at all, there wasn't even any religious talk. And the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated 04/20/2017 says nothing about entertainment parties. Did the investigation team really expect that no one would figure anything out and everything would be taken at face value? It's very good that the operatives have collected so much material. Now it is easier for you to see the full picture, where peaceful believers worship Jehovah, based on Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

An acquittal is an unpopular decision today. But justice is not a fashion issue. The case file clearly indicates our innocence, so I ask you to admit this in your verdict.

Summary of the case

Region:

Mordovia

Locality:

Saransk

What is suspected:

He was engaged in "spreading ideology and faith among residents of the Republic of Mordovia by conducting conversations in public places and residential premises with residents of Saransk and other settlements," which is interpreted as "organizing the activities of an extremist organization"

Criminal case number:

11907890001000003

Case initiated:

February 4, 2019

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigating:

The Federal Security Service of Russia for the Republic of Mordovia

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2), 282.2 (1), 282.2 (1.1)

The number of the case in court:

1-13/2022 (1-216/2021)

Court:

Leninsky District Court of Saransk

Judge of the Court of First instance:

Elena Simonova