‘These handcuffs are temporary, sooner or later, they will be removed.’
Final Statements
‘I demand the maximum sentence. Because I despise you. I will not live on this land or in this country with you.’
'We can see that the government, while proclaiming that it’s fighting terrorism, is in reality only trying to retain its monopoly on terror.'
'And you, please promise to remain hopeful and to remember how to smile. If we lose the ability to enjoy life, it would mean they have won.'
'One cannot seek justice only for oneself and silence one’s conscience when justice is being violated in relation to others.'
'For some reason, it is now customary to take pride only in military successes. Excuse me, but the motherland is like a mother. Mothers sometimes get sick, and sometimes things don't work out for them. Does that mean we stop loving them? No.'
'Making the right choice, raising the level of honesty and common sense — that is our path. Without us, elections cannot make themselves fair. It is people who make them fair.'
'We are dealt guilty verdicts convicted for doubtings that an assault on a neighboring state is aimed at maintaining international peace and security.'
'War is the fastest means of dehumanization—a state of affairs when the line between good and evil is blurred.'
'The generation that has already passed has bequeathed to us to protect the world with all our might, as the most valuable thing on Earth for all its inhabitants. And we have neglected his precepts and devalued our memory of these people and the victims of that war.'
'And none of this is about the law. Nor is it about the truth. And in this sense, of course, it is much easier for me, because in 20 months I have not had to lie once. And telling the truth is easy and pleasant. Ultimately, truth and justice always prevail.'
'I don’t want to talk and speculate about journalism, about its problems in Russia, because there is no more journalism in Russia.'
'We are accused of seizing power in the Russian Federation. But, excuse me, when did we personally come to live in the Russian Federation? We lived in Ukraine, and none of us moved to the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation came to us itself. It annexed our homeland Crimea as part of its country. Moreover, it did so illegally. And this is not my personal opinion, but the opinion of the entire international community.'
'Without the freedom of speech, without the ability of citizens to express their opinion, without fear of prosecution, a country is doomed to collapse.'
'Remind yourself and others: two plus two equals four. Black is black. White is white. I am a human, I am strong and bold. We are strong and bold.'
'It is unacceptable to persecute for art.'
'Right now it may seem to you that I am out of my mind and all of you are sane, for one cannot swim against the current. But to me, it seems that you have gone mad.'
'It's time to end patriarchy. The time for women has come.'
‘Stop torturing my grandmother and my children.’
'We were sentenced to 13 to 19 years for alleged terrorist activity. In this country, people get less time for actual murder.'
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