The Final Statement of Defendant Yelena Shestopalova in Birobidzhan
"I have never had a goal to incite hatred or enmity. I have never called for violence or other illegal actions. My intentions have always been peaceful," the believer concluded, addressing the court.
Transcript:
Your Honor, I am pleased to make my final statement today. Despite the great stress for me, I have noticed much good in the participants of this process.
I would like to thank you, Svetlana Igorevna, for taking into account my age and health from the very beginning, which is why you scheduled hearings for less than a full day. During the hearings, you sometimes helped me with legal terminology and allowed me to clarify my explanations during the prosecutor’s speech. I really appreciated that, after my comments during the first hearing, the prosecutor became more attentive in reading the materials of the case and did not distort information. Thank you!
I am also grateful to my lawyer. She supported me several times with kind words and praised me. Thank you!
My husband and my children, as well as my spiritual family, were a great support to me during this difficult time. Some were able to come and encourage me with their presence. Others from our city and from other regions supported me with their heartfelt prayers. I am grateful to everyone for such genuine love! I have always felt the support of friends.
Every person wants to be happy and understand their purpose — why we live. I found the answer to this question in the Word of God, the Bible. It says: “I have come to know that there is nothing better for them [humans] than to rejoice and to do good during their life; and also that everyone should eat and drink and find enjoyment for all his hard work. It is the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13) I realized that guidance for a happy life must be sought from the Creator, and that such guidance is found in the Bible. It is this book that helped me become friends with God.
When people want to become friends, the first thing they learn about each other is the name. So it is not surprising that God also has a name — Jehovah. Also, to befriend someone, you need to get to know their character. What if we do not like it? The Bible tells us what kind of person …