Transcript:
Your Honor, esteemed participants in this proceeding, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone: to my dear brothers and sisters who supported me with their presence and prayers, and to my wife, Irina, who has always been by my side. I thank Judge Aleksandr Nikolaevich for the atmosphere that prevailed during the proceedings and for the respectful treatment of all participants in the trial. I thank my lawyer, Valeriy Vladimirovich, for being by my side during difficult times and for defending me before the court. I am also grateful to the other lawyers for their considerable efforts in our defense. Thank you as well to the secretary for a positive attitude and politeness. I thank the state prosecutor. I fully understand that you are doing your job. Although in this proceeding we are opponents, you have never shown us disrespect. And, of course, I thank God for the honor of defending the legal rights of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.
I want to speak in defense of myself and also of Jehovah's Witnesses who live in our country. Russia is a multi-faith country. It is, of course, very important that peace and mutual understanding are preserved among people of different cultures. I understand that there has been some misunderstanding, which needs to be resolved in order to ensure the rights of all believers are upheld.
It is understandable that the state tries to maintain order in its territory. But when the rights of peaceful citizens are trampled on, there can be no talk of true order. When courts and the criminal prosecution of Jehovah's Witnesses began, many countries rose to the defense of peaceful believers. The question arises: would anyone stand up for people who actually pose a danger to society? In 2022, the ECHR fully acquitted Jehovah's Witnesses, ordered an end to their criminal prosecution, and directed compensation for all the harm they suffered. And even though the Russian Federation has now severed its relationship with the ECHR, this …