The last word of the defendant Igor Kletkin in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur

 RUSSIA 

 

The last word of the defendant Igor Kletkin in Nikolaevsk-on-Amur

July 30, 2024

Khabarovsk Territory

Speaking with the last word in court, Igor Kletkin said: "If my actions were actually criminal and socially dangerous, then where are the victims of my criminal behavior? There are none."

Transcript of the court session in the Nikolaevsky-on-Amur city Court of the Khabarovsk Territory dated 30.07.2024 on the case 1-3/2024 (1-54/2023; 1-413/2022) on the charges of Igor Sergeevich Kletkin and others. of committing a crime under Part 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Kletkin Igor Sergeevich:

First of all, I want to thank you, Your Honor, for the kind, calm atmosphere that prevailed at the meetings. Thank you, Your Honor, for always being attentive to us.

Thanks to the secretary of the meeting Maxim Viktorovich for his hard work. Thanks to our lawyers Nina Vasilyevna, Vyacheslav Gennadievich, Yuri Petrovich — you always explained the legal subtleties to us and professionally defended us throughout the entire process.

I also want to express my gratitude to the State Prosecutor for showing respect for our religious feelings.

I thank all the friends who came to the meetings and supported us for their prayers, help and presence at the trial. Many thanks to my daughter Nastya, my son Maxim and my wife Natasha for supporting and strengthening me from the very beginning. And of course, I am very grateful to my God Jehovah, whom I serve, because I was once again convinced of his powerful support and felt his love and care.

I would like to draw your attention, dear court, that there is not a single victim in this case. If my actions were actually criminal and socially dangerous, then where are the victims of my criminal behavior? There are none. This alone proves that I pose no danger to the State, the constitutional order, or individual citizens. My faith in Jehovah God has nothing to do with the extremism they are trying to accuse me of.

I have not engaged in extremist or other illegal activities. I lead a peaceful lifestyle, respect the authorities and follow the law, because I am a religious person. The manifestation of hatred, hostility and violence is incompatible with my views. I respect representatives of other religions and nationalities. I was convicted only for believing in God. I have had the opportunity to communicate with many religious people, for example, with Muslims, as well as with Orthodox priests. But I didn't consider any of them inferior to me. The fact that we have different religious views does not give me the right to judge them. Besides, it would contradict my beliefs.

First, I would like to tell you a little about the trials of faith that the Son of God, Jesus, faced. He worshipped only Jehovah (Matthew 4:8-10). In the spring of 33 AD, Nisan 14 according to the Jewish calendar, the greatest man who ever lived was put to death on false charges of undermining the state system - allegedly he wanted to make himself king. A sign with the accusation "Jesus, the king of the Jews" was hung on the pole to which he was nailed. We know that this was a false accusation. With his life, he showed that it was alien to him to interfere in the political affairs of the world. When the people wanted to make him king, he withdrew.

What was Jesus aiming for? We can learn this from the words spoken to the Roman governor Pilate. John 18:37 records his words: "This is why I was born, and this is why I came into the world to bear witness to the truth; everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." "What is truth?" Pilate asked Jesus. If Pilate had been with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his arrest, then he could have found the answer from the words of Christ's prayer. We can read this answer in our Bible. Addressing Jehovah in prayer, Jesus emphasizes: "Your word is the truth" (John 17:17). Nothing that Jesus was accused of at the judicial investigation was found. Today, all who believe in Jesus try to follow his guidance, which he gave before his ascension to heaven: "Therefore go and prepare disciples in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And I will be with you every day until this world comes to its end" (Matthew 28:19, 20).

Was this to the liking of the religious leaders of the past? No. They tried with all their might — through intimidation, punishment and putting to death — to destroy the followers of Christ. But the Christians did not stop. Their motto was "to listen more to God and not to men" (Acts 4:19). I am not at all surprised or frightened by the situation in which I find myself. We see the fulfillment of the words of the Apostle Paul: "All followers of Christ Jesus who want to faithfully serve God will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). Both then and now, absurd accusations are being made against Christians that contradict their principles of life. These accusations look formidable only on paper. In fact, this is persecution for faith. Everyone I've talked to over the past two years, whether they like Jehovah's Witnesses or not, was surprised that a criminal case had been opened against me and wondered how this was possible.

In our time, Jehovah's Witnesses have also been persecuted in different countries. For example, the Nazis harshly persecuted them: by 1939, 6,000 Jehovah's Witnesses were in prisons and several thousand more in concentration camps. What have the years of persecution led to? By the end of World War II, about 2,000 Jehovah's Witnesses had died in prisons and more than 250 had been executed. They stuck to their faith despite the ordeal. Subsequently, when the Hitler regime came to an end, more than a thousand believers emerged victorious from the camps.

This example illustrates very vividly what is written in the biblical book of Acts, chapter 5, verses 38 and 39: "Therefore I say to you: leave these people alone, do not touch them. After all, if this plan or business is from people, then it will collapse, and if it is from God, you will not be able to destroy it. Otherwise, it may turn out that you are fighting with God himself."

The question arises: why, both in the past and today, was it impossible to defeat those who served Jehovah God? The answer is found in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 1, verse 19: "They will fight with you, but they will not overcome you, because Jehovah says, 'I am with you to save you.'" And in the 20th chapter of the same book, verse 11, the prophet wrote these words: "Jehovah was with me like a formidable warrior. That's why my persecutors will stumble and not prevail." Just as Jehovah supported his faithful prophet in the past, so he does it for his servants in our time.

Is it possible to resist the Almighty God? No, that's not possible. Why? The powers of God and people are too incommensurable. In the Book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 26, it says: "Raise your eyes to the sky and look. Who created all this? The one who leads the stars like an army and counts them. He calls each of them by name. Thanks to his immense power and awe-inspiring strength, they are all in their places." As can be seen from this verse, Jehovah God has great power.

I have full confidence that very soon Jehovah will reward me for my perseverance. In the Letter of James, chapter 5, verse 11, it says: "We consider those who survived happy. You have heard about Job's steadfastness and how Jehovah blessed him, which showed how merciful and gentle Jehovah is in his love."

I look forward to the time when God's promise from the book of Revelation, chapters 21, 3rd and 4th verses will be fulfilled: "I heard a loud voice from the throne say, 'The tent of God is among men, and God will live with them. They will be his people, and he will be with them. God will wipe the tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more sobbing, no more pain. Everything that happened before has passed." And until that happy time comes, my God gives me the strength to stand in my trials.

How do I feel about the trials that have befallen me? I am very comforted by understanding three reasons why Jehovah allows persecution of his people.

First, the eternal question of sovereignty. In Job 2:4-5, Satan questioned the integrity of every person who worships Jehovah. It says: "Skin for skin! A man will give everything he has for his life. But reach out and strike him with a disease, and he will definitely curse you to your face." Every servant of Jehovah must give an answer to the question of whether he will remain faithful to God, no matter what misfortunes and difficulties may befall him (Job 1:9-11; 2:4, 5; Proverbs 27:11).

Secondly, both officials and people in general are given good testimony (Luke 21:12, 13; Acts 23:11; 25:8-12). In Luke 21:12, 13, the words of Jesus are recorded: "But before all this happens, people will persecute you, they will grab you, bring you to synagogues for trial and throw you in prisons. Because of my name, you will be taken to kings and rulers. This will give you the opportunity to preach." Today, these words of Jesus are being fulfilled before our eyes. And I really value the great honor that has fallen to me — to defend the name of my God Jehovah in the courts.

Thirdly, difficulties and trials can benefit us personally. Persecution can strengthen our faith and develop resilience. For me, the words from James 1:2-4 have acquired a really deep meaning: "Brothers, rejoice when you face various trials, because you know that your proven faith makes you steadfast. And let the perseverance bring your work to the end in order to be perfect and flawless in all respects, without any flaws." Now I can say with confidence: my attitude is much better than at the beginning of the trials, and my faith is much stronger! To summarize, I will note: It was a very difficult but rewarding journey. I have gained valuable experience that I will not trade for anything.

Your Honor, now I want to tell you about my attitude to the fact that I am accused of extremism. What is extremism? In Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, extremism is defined as "adherence to extreme views and measures." I think this is a baseless accusation. In the same place, the word "groundless" is defined as "unfounded, not supported by facts, evidence." The case materials, including the audio recordings of our worship services, prove that I have nothing to do with extremism.

Does it hurt me to be called an extremist? Many Christians have faced groundless accusations at all times, and even Jesus Christ, when he lived on earth, was called a glutton and a drunkard by people. However, it didn't bother him. He said, "Wisdom is confirmed by works" (Matthew 11:19). Yes, his lifestyle proved otherwise. In this regard, there is one interesting saying that I myself adhere to: "Do not pay attention to what people say bad about you. Just live in such a way that no one will believe them."

Your Honor, in conclusion, I would like to say that we live in a unique time. All of humanity is on God's trial. All people are determined in their attitude to the Lord of the Universe, God Jehovah: whether to recognize his authority as the Creator of everything or not to recognize it. The choice is up to each of us. There is very little time left. Biblical prophecies and current events indicate that we are approaching a turning point in human history.

I have the right to renounce Jehovah and go free — the Criminal Code gives me this opportunity. But I don't want to change God's promised new world, free from war, disease and death, for a few months or years of living in this world full of unsolvable problems.

Your Honor, I do not admit my guilt, because I did not commit a crime under Parts 1.1 and Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Therefore, I ask you to fully acquit me and the other defendants and attach my last word to the case file. Thank you so much for listening to me carefully.

Summary of the case

Region:

Khabarovsk Territory

Locality:

Nikolaevsk-on-Amur

Criminal case number:

12102080010000053

Case initiated:

October 11, 2021

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has not entered into force

Investigates:

Nikolaevsky-on-Amur interdistrict investigative Department of the SU IC for the Khabarovsk Territory and the EAO

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2), 282.2 (1.1)

The number of the case in court:

1-3/2024 (1-54/2023; 1-413/2022)

The Court of First Instance:

Nikolaevsky-on-Amur City Court of the Khabarovsk Territory

Judge of the Court of first instance:

Roman Zhukov