The last word of the defendant Nina Purge in Vladivostok

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Nina Purge in Vladivostok

May 27, 2022

Primorsky Krai

From the courtroom

In her address to the court, the believer told about her life and how she found answers to all her questions about suffering and death in the Bible. She said, "If people read the Bible and lived in harmony with it, I think there would be no wars, no anger, no hatred."

Transcript of the court session in the Leninsky District Court of Vladivostok dated 05/27/2022 in the case 1-14/2022 (1-136/2021; 1-414/2019) on the charges of Nina Ivanovna Purge and others. of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Purge Nina Ivanovna:

Your Honor, I sincerely thank you for the understanding, kindness, and patience that you have shown us. Perhaps such defendants as us, who did not harm anyone even in old age, are rare cases in your practice. You took into account our limited capabilities. This is especially pleasant because this is the first time we have been here and the charges against us are very serious. Thanks to the prosecutor for her work. Many thanks to the lawyers for their qualified and timely assistance to us.

Your Honor, you have asked the question of why we are being persecuted. The followers of Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Chief Witness to God, have always been persecuted, starting from the 1st century AD and up to the present day. Jesus warned his disciples about this. In the Bible, in John 15:29, his words are recorded: "Remember the word that I told you: "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too." Jesus taught to love God and people, and he was persecuted. The authorities are often misled into thinking that we pose a threat, but in fact we are peace-loving people and do not pose any danger either to people or to the authorities. We pay taxes regularly, respect the laws and the rules established by the authorities, and try to work honestly and conscientiously. Jehovah's Witnesses want to help, not offend; to honor, not humiliate. There's nothing to judge us for, Your Honor!

Now a little bit about yourself. I was born in 1940, there was a war in that area. I faced poverty, cold, and hunger during the war and in the postwar years. I was constantly ill until I was 14. Tears, illnesses, sufferings and the death of loved ones caused me many questions. After school, I graduated from college, started working, and my life began to improve. Then marriage, family, children and my questions faded into the background, but remained in my memory. In the difficult 90s, my "why" arose again. One day I was shown the answers to my questions in the Bible. For example, why there is so much suffering on earth. It turned out that suffering is not a punishment from God, "because God is love" (1 John 4:1). I also learned that death is not only the enemy of people, but also of God, and it will be finished, as it is written in the Bible: "The last enemy to be exterminated is death." (1 Corinthians 15:26). And I was also pleased with the hope for the future, it is very beautifully written about in the Bible in Revelation 21:4: "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death; there will be no more crying, no more crying, no more sickness; for the former has passed away." God will eliminate all causes of suffering. Your Honor, I have lost my parents, my brother and my son. And I learned from the Bible that I have a real opportunity to meet them resurrected here on earth. Imagine, Your Honor, what happiness it is to hug tightly those whom I seemed to have lost forever! God's faith and promises are not only comforting, but also give me strength and patience to overcome all the difficulties that fall to my lot. Your Honor, if all people read the Bible and lived in harmony with it, I am sure that there would be no wars, no anger, no hatred, no selfishness, no envy. People would love each other, because it's so easy!

Your Honor, what is my fault? That I want to live in peace with people? That I recognize Jehovah God as the Lord of the universe and the only true living God? Your Honor, what illegal have I done? I did not commit any violence, it did not occur to me to do anything illegal. I was only exercising my right, which was given to me by the Constitution of Russia — to believe in God and profess my religion. Your Honor, I am not guilty of what I am accused of. I ask you to justify me and my friends.

Summary of the case

Region:

Primorsky Krai

Locality:

Vladivostok

What is suspected of:

According to investigators, he participated in divine services, which is interpreted as participation in the activities of an extremist organization (with reference to the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on the liquidation of all 396 registered organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses)

Criminal case number:

11807050001000038

Case initiated:

April 9, 2018

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigating:

The Federal Security Service of Russia in Primorsky Krai

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2), 282.2 (1)

The number of the case in court:

1-14/2022 (1-136/2021; 1-414/2019)

Court:

Leninsky District Court of Vladivostok

Judge:

Maxim Anufriev