The final statement
«Even today, even in the darkness around us, even in this cage, I love my country and I have confidence in our people. I trust that we will be able to accomplish this journey.»
Members of the court: After two decades spent in Russian politics, after all that I have seen and experienced, I was confident that nothing can surprise me anymore. I must admit I was wrong about it: I’ve been indeed surprised that my trial, being held in 2023, has surpassed even the ‘trials’ of Soviet dissidents in the 1960s and ’70s by the degree of its secrecy and the extent of beeing skewed against the defendant. And that’s not even to mention the length of my term sought by the prosecution or the verbiage that refers to ‘the enemy.’ In this regard, we’ve gone back not just to the 1970s, but all the way to the 1930s. As an historian, this gives me an occasion to reflect upon.
During my testimony, the presiding judge reminded me that ‘contrition over one’s actions’ may become an extenuating circumstance in the eyes of the court. And even though not much is amusing in my surroundings, I could not help smiling: Contrition is for the criminals. As to me, I am in jail for my political views; for speaking out against the war in Ukraine; for many years of struggle against Vladimir Putin’s dictatorship. For my assistance in the enactment of individually targeted international sanctions under the Magnitsky Act against human rights abusers.
Not only am I not contrite about any of this. I am proud of having done it.
I am proud that I was brought into politics by Boris Nemtsov.
And I hope I have not embarrassed him. I endorse every single word that I have spoken and that are being imputed to me in these charges. I blame myself for only one thing: that over all my years in politics I have not been able to convince a sufficient number of my compatriots and of politicians in the democratic countries of the magnitude of the threat presented by the current regime in the Kremlin to Russia and to the world. By now, it has become obvious to everyone, but at a horrific cost of war.
In closing statements, defendants typically ask for an acquittal.
For an individual who has not committed any crimes, acquittal would be the only lawful verdict. But I do not ask this court for anything. I know my verdict. I knew it already a year ago when I saw in the rear view mirror the people in black uniforms and black masks running after my car. Such is the price in today’s Russia for refusing to stay silent.
But I also know: the day will come when the darkness over our country will dissipate; when black will be called black and white will be called white; when officials will acknowledge that two times two makes four, after all; when a war will be called its proper name, and so will be an usurper; and when those fomenting and unleashing this war will be found guilty of crime, instead of those who tried to put an end to it. This day will come as unavoidably as spring follows even the most freezing winter.
And at that point, our society will open its eyes in horror at the ghastliness of the crimes committed on its behalf. This realization, the making sense of it will start Russia’s journey to healing and recovery, its return to the community of civilized nations – a journey that will be lengthy, difficult, yet so important for all of us.
Even today, even in the darkness around us, even in this cage, I love my country and I have confidence in our people. I trust that we will be able to accomplish this journey.
Moscow City Court, Moscow, Russia
April 10, 2022
Source: https://x.com/vkaramurza/status/1645453165695729665/photo/2 and https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/04/10/russian-vladimir-kara-murza-final-statement-court/
More about the case: https://www.svoboda.org/a/let-lisheniya-svobody-vynesen-prigovor-vladimiru-kara-murze/32355971.html
Фото: Justino Auškelio/LRT nuotr
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