The last word of the defendant Kirill Evstigneev in Nizhny Novgorod

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Kirill Evstigneev in Nizhny Novgorod

May 12, 2022

Nizhny Novgorod region

From the courtroom

In his appeal to the court, Kirill Evstigneev stressed that his religious views are not compatible with extremism: "I consider all people equal and respect everyone's right to their personal views and beliefs. I treat the state authorities with respect and due respect."

Transcript of the court session in the Leninsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod dated 05/12/2022 in the case 1-53/2022 (1-519/2021) on the accusation of Kirill Gennadievich Evstigneev of committing a crime under Part 1 of Article 282.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Evstigneev Kirill Gennadievich:

Dear Court, over the past few months you have investigated my act, which the investigator and the prosecutor identified as an extremist crime, demanding that I be found guilty and severely punished. I declare again that I did not commit the crime of which I am accused, and I consider myself innocent.

During the court sessions, the materials, evidence and video recordings of the case were examined, and what did we see? There is not a single fact, not a single document, not a single phone conversation and not a single frame of video footage in which I discuss topics related to extremism or extremist materials. I do not mention the legal organizations banned in Russia "The Management Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" or the MRO "Central. Nizhny Novgorod".

I'm trying to figure out what my fault is. What action or words of mine are regarded as a serious crime related to extremism? Is it that my friends and I got together for a vacation on 04/06/2019 in the conference room? It is still a mystery to me which event from the 6-hour program on 04/06/2019 is criminal and is associated with banned organizations. A song about Mom? A dance from the movie "The Wedding in Malinovka"? A musical production about a hedgehog? Or a 1.5-hour disco? This event has nothing to do with a religious meeting, especially with the "Management Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" and the MRO "Central. Nizhny Novgorod".

Your Honor, I want to emphasize that, as it turned out, my fault is only that I adhere to the religious views of Jehovah's Witnesses. It turns out that I am not in the dock for having committed some real crime and therefore dangerous to society, but I am being prosecuted only for being a Christian, a Jehovah's Witness. Are we living during the medieval Inquisition, when people were persecuted just for reading the Bible? No. We live in a secular state that has enshrined in the Constitution the right of citizens to have their faith, gather with friends, and talk about their views and beliefs. For the 19 years since I became a Jehovah's Witness, such actions were not considered a crime, but what has changed? The decision of the Supreme Court of 04/20/2017 in respect of some legal entities was transferred to me on some basis. Did I really lose the right to use Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation after 04/20/2017? Maybe my last name is listed in the decision of the Supreme Court? No. Am I engaged in activities for which these legal entities were liquidated? Not again. For example, if the chefs worked for an organization that was recognized as an extremist and liquidated, and then continued to cook and work as chefs in another restaurant, can they be accused of continuing the activities of a banned organization? It is clear that this is absurd. However, in my case, this is exactly the kind of absurdity that happens. My only fault is that I continue to believe in Jehovah God.

Why am I in the dock? Because the investigator labeled me an extremist for only one reason: I remain a Jehovah's Witness and have no intention of changing my religion. It turns out that the investigator's opinion is more important than the Constitution of the Russian Federation? Does any representative of the government have the right to interpret court decisions at will and accuse people of serious crimes? I think this is unacceptable in Russia.

Your Honor, I have already said and I want to draw attention again to my personal attitude towards extremism. I am a believer, I am a Christian, a Jehovah's Witness since 1998, my beliefs are based on biblical principles and requirements. For 23 years now — more than half of my life — I have been a Jehovah's Witness. Thanks to my faith in the Creator, Jehovah God, and the application of the advice that he passed on to people through the Bible, my life has become better, more purposeful and happier. It was the application of biblical advice that helped me in my youth not to have bad habits such as smoking and alcohol abuse, to give up drug use, to have a clean speech without profanity, to find real, worthy friends. And one of the main positive aspects is to keep your family together, despite all the difficulties and problems.

It is a great honor and a huge responsibility for me to be a Jehovah's Witness! In order to remain a Jehovah's Witness and be a friend of God, it is necessary to learn to "hate evil and love good." Extremism is nothing more than a vivid expression of evil and moral baseness. Therefore, when I read my indictment, which uses the expressions "forcibly changing the foundations", "violation of integrity", "undermining security", "inciting hatred", these terrible words sent chills down my spine. Moreover, it would never have occurred to me not to commit such actions, but even to think about them. Otherwise, I would not have been able to remain a Jehovah's Witness and maintain a good reputation in the eyes of God.

In my life, I adhere to two main laws that Jesus Christ expressed: "Love God with all your heart and with all your mind, and second, love your neighbor as yourself." Why am I saying this? Your Honor, I want you to understand that accusing a Jehovah's Witness of extremism is absurd. In fact, for me, as a Jehovah's Witness, such goals as "forcibly changing the foundations of the constitutional system" and "threatening the security of Russia" are completely unacceptable. Accusing me of such a thing is stupid and wrong! Throughout history, Jehovah's Witnesses, in whatever country they are located, have never participated in actions that humiliate other people or are related to armed conflicts. Two striking examples:

In Nazi Germany, Jehovah's Witnesses were among the first concentration camp prisoners for refusing to support Nazi policies and participate in the war. Thousands of them went through death camps, and hundreds were executed for refusing to take up arms.

27 years ago, there was a genocide against the Tutsi people in Rwanda (Africa), which became one of the bloodiest in modern history. Jehovah's Witnesses from the Hutu people knew well that they could pay with their lives for helping the Tutsi people. But the brothers and sisters from these nationalities supported each other with love and sensitivity. No one allowed hypocrisy and prejudice to enter the Christian congregation. Eyewitnesses of those events are convinced that Christian love is much stronger than hatred and racial prejudice. I have given just two examples of the views held by Jehovah's Witnesses around the world. Jehovah's Witnesses do not change their views, even if it threatens them with ridicule, imprisonment or death. I fully share their views, adhere to the biblical principles and follow them in my life. Therefore, I hate extremism in the concept given in the 114-FZ "On Countering extremist activity."

I consider all people to be equal and respect the right of each person to their personal views and beliefs. I treat the state authorities with respect and due respect and have never opposed them, nor even considered such actions, as it would violate the law that is set out in the Bible. In the Letter to the Romans, chapter 13, verses 1 to 7, it says: "Let every soul be submissive to higher authorities; for there is no authority not from God, but the existing authorities are established from God. Therefore, anyone who opposes authority is rebelling against the order established by God, and such a person will incur condemnation. After all, rulers are God's servants, for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, because they do not wear a sword in vain. They are God's servants, punishing those who do evil. So you have a good reason to obey, not only out of fear of punishment, but also in order to have a clear conscience. That's why you pay taxes, because the rulers are God's servants who are constantly engaged in serving for the benefit of people. Give everyone what they are entitled to: to whom tax is tax, to whom duty is duty, to whom respect is respect, to whom honor is honor."

The investigation did not provide any evidence or facts that I had ever opposed the current government in the Russian Federation. I am a law-abiding citizen who respects the authorities and cares about the well-being of my city. My wife and I have always paid all the necessary taxes. And even in the current situation, when my bank account has been blocked since 07/01/2021, which is why my family has limited financial resources, we have no tax arrears. Also, for several years, I took an active part in the organized cleaning of our city, which were held in the Dubki Park and in other places on the territory of the Avtozavodsky district. Therefore, my conscience is clear before people, the state and God.

Your Honor, in conclusion, I want to thank you for treating me with respect. For trying to understand and understand my case. You have listened patiently to all my words in your defense.

Thank you, Mr. Prosecutor, for not objecting to my petitions. For making efforts to present video materials to the court. And for correctly pronouncing the name of God — Jehovah.

I thank the clerks of the court for their work and clarifications on my issues.

Thanks to my defenders, lawyers Irina Alexandrovna and Alexander Nikolaevich. Your presence has helped me maintain confidence at every meeting. Your advice was timely and clear.

My beloved wife, Nastenka, you are an example of calmness and confidence for me. You've always supported me, even though you had a hard time after the search yourself.

I really appreciate the support my friends have given me. You sent messages, letters and drawings, and prayed for us. They came to the courtroom, despite the cold. Your words and deeds are invaluable to me and my wife.

Your Honor, for me, the court is always a symbol of justice, impartiality and honesty. A court is a public authority that administers justice. According to V. I. Dahl, justice is "a right—wing court, a decision according to the law, according to conscience, the truth." The charge against me is contrary not only to the law, but also to conscience and the truth. Therefore, I ask the court for justice and objectivity in sentencing. I'm innocent. Your Honor, I ask you to acquit me.

Summary of the case

Region:

Nizhny Novgorod region

Locality:

Nizhniy Novgorod

What is suspected:

According to the investigation, "concluded a lease agreement for non-residential premises and made a payment under this agreement in the amount of 7,500 rubles.

" Criminal case number:

12001220089000380

Case initiated:

September 2, 2020

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigating:

The 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:

282.3 (1)

Case number in court:

1-53/2022 (1-519/2021)

Court:

Leninsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod

Judge:

Victor Ushakov.