The last word of the defendant Sergei Belousov in Seversk

 RUSSIA 

The last word of the defendant Sergei Belousov in Seversk

April 13, 2022

Tomsk region

From the courtroom

In his speech, Belousov stressed that he was being judged for his faith, and called it a gross mistake. Concluding his speech, he said: "I believe in God and remain a Jehovah's Witness, but I am not an extremist and have never been one."

Transcript of the court session in the Seversky City Court of the Tomsk region dated 04/13/2022 in the case 1-9/2022 (1-255/2021) on the accusation of Belousov Sergei Yuryevich of committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Sergey Yuryevich Belousov: Dear court, dear participants in the process! Before I say my last word, I would like to thank everyone who participated in this process and supported me and my family.

Thank you, Your Honor, for the attention, respect and tact shown to me and my family. Thank you for allowing us to be with the family at all meetings. You listened patiently to me talk about my religious views when I testified, and set a meeting time convenient for me, so that I could still go to work and support my family financially. I am sincerely grateful to you for this!

I am grateful to my friends who did not leave us without help! I know that they prayed for me and came when I had meetings, although they were outside all the time, and in any weather. They supported me by sacrificing their time and energy. This, in turn, gave me strength.

I am very grateful to my beloved wife, Svetlana, who, despite the difficulties associated with the court, maintains a positive attitude and supports me. But also, of course, many thanks to my daughter Marishka, who was also there for me throughout this difficult time of the court sessions!

Thank you to my lawyer for agreeing to defend my rights and interests. Having seen the absurdity of this criminal prosecution, he tried to provide me with legal assistance.

I also want to express my gratitude to the prosecution, as I did not see a disparaging attitude towards me. Thank you for your hard work, respect for my religious views, and for correctly pronouncing the name of God. You understand perfectly well that I am not an extremist either by law, lifestyle, or conscience. I know you're just doing your job. And, although you have requested a term of imprisonment of 5 years in a correctional colony of general regime and 1 year of restrictions, I do not hold a grudge against you and I have no negative feelings towards you.

Thanks to the secretaries for their responsible attitude to the performance of their duties — I have never heard harsh statements from you. If the meeting was postponed for various reasons, you always warned me about it on the phone, talked politely and kindly.

I also wanted to thank the bailiffs for their unbiased and kind attitude towards me and my family. It's nice that we were recognized and treated with tact and respect.

And, of course, I am grateful to my God Jehovah, who has always given me strength, courage and calmness to walk this path with dignity. I am very much supported by the thought expressed in the words of Hebrews 4:13: "Everything is naked and open before the eyes of the one to whom we give an account." My God was closely watching everything that was happening here, and He heard every word spoken and all the accusations against me. I am very glad that neither my deeds nor even what is in my heart are hidden from God. He knows I'm innocent. Therefore, no matter what they accuse me of and no matter what labels they put on me, I have a clear conscience and feel God's approval. That's the main thing for me.

Your Honor, a lot depends on you right now. The process has come to an end, and you will need to make a balanced and fair decision — a decision on which my life, as well as the life of my family, will depend. Therefore, I ask you, Your Honor, to listen to me carefully and with patience.

Over the previous months, my family and I had a lot of different feelings, worries and worries. Frankly speaking, it is very difficult to accept with my heart what is happening to me now. Over the past 20 years, I have tried to live honestly, act fairly, and treat people kindly. I also often think about how my dear daughter and loving wife will be without me if I am given a real term. A wife without a husband, without a man's shoulder, and a daughter without a loving father!

I'm on trial now. For what? Whose life have I ruined? Who was harmed? I didn't see any victims. I have committed no crime against God, against people, or against the state. On the other hand, I am well aware that I am being judged for my faith. If I hadn't been a Jehovah's Witness, I wouldn't be in the dock right now.

I am very sad that some people form their opinion about Jehovah's Witnesses based on information from the news and do not check it. It is very often simply unreliable, or outright false. Those who do not know us personally take lies for the truth. It's a pity that they don't even want to figure it out! Here is just one sad example.

In the 1920s and 1930s, there were very few Bible researchers in our country, as Jehovah's Witnesses were then called, but they were already persecuted. After the Second World War, they were repressed for decades for their faith. Innocent people were evicted from their homes, sent to prisons and labor camps for long periods. Husbands were separated from their wives, parents from their children, and grandparents from their grandchildren in the most ruthless way. Many of them have lost each other forever.

This huge tragedy began small — with the skillful manipulation of rumors, with hints and sweeping generalizations. Unchecked by anyone, these malicious words turned into lies and outright slander. This was followed by bans, searches, arrests, show trials, exile and imprisonment. Some time later, thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses were rehabilitated as innocent victims of repression, removing the stigma of enemies of the people from them. Amazingly, history repeats itself! It is a pity that no correct conclusions have been drawn from the mistakes of the past.

Nowadays, shocking statements have appeared in the media again that Jehovah's Witnesses are "extremists." And the more often such words are repeated, the more they are believed. But does this make such accusations fair? I understand that these words are only strong as long as they are thoughtlessly repeated. The method of using innuendo and slander should not work on you, Your Honor. I hope that you will not accept unfounded accusations on faith, but will try to get to the bottom of the matter, for which I will be sincerely grateful to you.

Studying the Bible, I understand why the followers of Christ were often persecuted. Jesus had told his followers beforehand, "Because of me, you will be taken to rulers and kings so that they ... will hear about me" (Matthew 10:18). Yes, for the sake of testimony, Christians both in the first century and in our time often stood before the court. After all, it is God's will that every person, regardless of their position, can hear the truth that Jesus preached about. He taught people that the Kingdom of God would deliver humanity from oppression, injustice, and people would regain eternal life. Moreover, the biblical truth can already change lives for the better and help solve many problems. I am very glad that you could find out about this, and I am grateful to God that during the hearings we reviewed many Bible verses and teachings. This is the knowledge that I have come to love very much, it has become dear to my heart. It is a great honor for me to represent Jesus in court!

Whatever decision is made, as a Christian, I will continue to preach the good news and defend the good name of our Creator. I am grateful to God that I live and use what he has created. Admiring and admiring the creations, I understand that life could not have arisen as a result of a blind accident. One simple thought is recorded in Hebrews 3:4: "Every house has a builder, and the one who built everything is God." If you need a design engineer and a builder to build a house, then isn't there someone who created everything that surrounds us - delicate flowers, majestic mountains, raging seas and an endless Universe?

Realizing that I have a loving and caring Father who is the Creator of all living things, I want to be grateful to him in return. It is painful for all of us to hear about how children, having grown up, forget their parents or completely abandon them. Or they visit them only when they need something. How pleasant it is for parents when their children love, appreciate and take care of them. Jehovah is my heavenly Father. It is unthinkable for me to stop believing in him or to abandon him, even if I face a real prison sentence. I love my heavenly Father, and I am hurt for him, hurt because of the shame that has been inflicted on his name, so I am ready to defend him. That's why I became his minister. I am not at all ashamed to be called a Jehovah's Witness.

The Bible clearly expresses the task of God, which he gave to all his servants: "You are my witnesses," says Jehovah, "my servant, whom I have chosen so that you may know me, believe in me, and understand that I am the same. There was no God before me, and there is no God who would appear after me" (Isaiah 43:10). In a court case that affects the entire universe and raises the question of who the Most High God is, all the servants of God, like witnesses, confirm that Jehovah is the only true God. It is for this purpose that God chose his people: "The people that I have created for myself, that they may tell of my praiseworthy deeds" (Isaiah 43:21). Therefore, I cannot remain silent and cannot but speak out in defense of the name of God and his Word.

Now, more than ever before, I can imagine what Jesus Christ had to face. Hardly any trial that took place in ancient times is as well known. Many lawyers, having analyzed the gospel description of the trial of Jesus, called it a mockery of justice. One law professor notes: "The whole process was one continuous lawlessness and took place with such outrageous violations that it can be called nothing more than a judicial murder."

However, in the eyes of God, Jesus was righteous and faithful. The Bible says of him, "He committed no sin, and there was no deception in his words." It would seem that then why did the world hate him? Just for doing the will of Jehovah and preaching an unpopular message. Not everyone wanted to hear the biblical truths: someone did not want to leave entrenched traditions and therefore differ from others, and for someone the truth was simply inconvenient.

We are now living in the 21st century, but the words of Jesus remain relevant to this day. He said, "If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you" (John 15:18). Therefore, it does not surprise me when something similar happens today. Those who try to follow the example of Jesus and do the will of God are also subjected to pressure, ridicule, humiliation and persecution.

Some Jehovah's Witnesses have already been sent to penal colonies. I understand that I can also find myself in a similar place. Pre-trial detention facilities also perform the functions of correctional institutions in relation to convicts. But I have questions.: what will I have to fix? How should I get out? If the high biblical principles that I have tried to live by are considered criminal, then what should I become? I know that it is not uncommon to find a Bible in the libraries of the colonies. Sometimes it is even the most in demand of all books. If it really poses a threat or has a bad effect on people's behavior, then why is it freely available in such places?

Nowadays, there are many examples of people who, while in prison for evil deeds, have changed their way of life precisely because of the influence of the Word of God. Knowledge from the Bible freed such people from mental turmoil, oppressive fear, gave hope, joy and meaning in life. They have learned to show meekness, humility, love and compassion. Therefore, when they were released, they no longer posed a threat either to the state or to those around them. On the contrary, they have become useful members of society, bringing good to others.

Today, you can hear the phrase "children are our future" from a person of any age. After all, we all understand that our future will depend on how we raise our children. The greatest thing we can give them is our love and attention. This way the children will feel happy and protected. They need care the most.

Your Honor, my daughter is present at the court hearing. I became a believer when she was 1.5 years old. Since that time, I have tried to instill in her a love of biblical truths. I tried to show by word and deed that it is important to be a decent person and not be afraid to stand out from others because of this. And now, being here in the boardroom, what conclusions can she draw? Is it bad to be truthful, loving, and kind? Why is a person living according to the Bible being prosecuted? Daughter, I wanted to tell you that I am very proud of you! My mother and I raised a decent, loving, highly moral person! We all have a responsibility for what kind of future we are laying for the younger generation. I really hope, Your Honor, that your decision will set an example of fairness, honesty and impartiality.

Although I have not yet been found guilty, my good name has already been branded, placed on the Rosfinmonitoring list. I found myself among real and dangerous terrorists and extremists. My bank card is blocked, which is why I have become limited in many ways. I also planned to visit my parents this year, but due to the criminal prosecution I was unable to do so, as I am on my own recognizance not to leave. Moreover, I cannot say if this will be possible in the future. It all depends on what decision will be made and what punishment will be imposed on me. I am very worried about my father and mother and I worry about them. I am very sorry that I cannot be near them, because they are already aged, and my father has to struggle with a serious life-threatening illness. Therefore, I really hope for an objective and impartial examination of my case, so that I can be close to my family during a difficult period of their lives.

It is important for me to have a good reputation in the eyes of God. Of course, under pressure, out of fear, someone may abandon their beliefs. But what's next? How to live with it? Trample on your conscience? Never! It is better not to be recognized by people, but approved by God.

Your Honor! I believe in God and remain a Jehovah's Witness, but I am not an extremist and have never been one. What I am accused of is a gross mistake. I am only exercising my right, guaranteed by article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which states: "Everyone is guaranteed freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, including the right to profess individually or jointly with others any religion or not to profess any." The meetings I attended were not meetings of MRO participants, but meetings of believers who are united by faith in Jehovah God. Thus, the Supreme Court did not deprive me of the right to associate with people of the same faith as mine, or to meet with them. Therefore, I can firmly say that I am not guilty either before God or the state. I hope you were able to verify this.

Your Honor, you have the right to analyze and make your own decisions. I want to ask: please make a fair decision, taking into account all the facts! Based on what has been said, I ask you to fully justify and recognize my right to rehabilitation due to the absence of corpus delicti in my actions.

Summary of the case

Region:

Tomsk region

Locality:

Seversk

What is suspected:

With the help of "Zoom software" and the Signal mobile application, he took part in religious worship," as well as in "singing songs" and "prayers to Jehovah God" (from the indictment).

Criminal case number:

12102690003000022

Case initiated:

March 25, 2021

Current stage of the case:

The verdict has entered into force

Investigates:

FROM the beginning to the end of the year. Seversk SU IC of the Russian Federation in the Tomsk region

Articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

282.2 (2)

Case number in court:

1-9/2022

Court of First Instance:

Seversky City Court of Tomsk region

Judge of the Court of first instance:

Ekaterina Soldatenko