“Well, as a matter of fact, this is our yet another last word we delivered, and it is unclear when will be the next opportunity to somehow address or express our feelings, our words of gratitude and support to society, the world community, family and friends, all those who are in solidarity with us. I would like to say a few more words in addition to what has been said. The latest events and news that, unfortunately, are taking place in Ukraine are reaching us as well. On the one hand, they provoke absolutely contradictory feelings. Because from one perspective it seems that this is a nightmare and some kind of mistake. On the other hand, we understand that this reality is harsh, bloody, painful, imbued with tears of mothers and children, with cries of women. However, from the other perspective, unfortunately, this is the cost of opening the eyes of the entire world community today to the fact that since 2014 there have been the first warnings, distressing signals, to which the world has lazily reacted. It is at the cost of such sacrifices, by wisdom and will of God, that the eyes of the entire world community are opened. I greatly admire the courage of the Ukrainian people. I sincerely believe that all this will surely end with the victory of truth and justice over all the injustice, deceit, and propaganda that has been going on all these years. Furthermore, I am sure that now nobody will be left indifferent or apathetic. This is exactly what we have been saying these long 8 years. Don’t wait for trouble to come to your house. Each of us, being reasonable, must be able to see and get ahead of the troubles that may be at everyone’s doorstep tomorrow. And each of us must show solidarity and support to our neighbours. Without dividing each other by nations and faiths. It is our position in Crimea that turned out to be persecuted and harassed. This is exactly why we are currently in jail, but we don’t regret anything. Even in this position, we try to be role models for our children. Even though we are far away from them and they are growing up without us. Sincerely, our prayers are with all those who are oppressed, all those who are sick, all those who are alone with their troubles. God grant a speedy release to all prisoners, a speedy recovery to the sick, and a speedy victory of good over lies and injustice. In the end, justice and truth will be victorious. And patience and faith is what give us hope and make us stronger and bring us closer to victory. And in unity and solidarity, it is much easier to go through this torture. Heaven helps us all to be with each other soon and just recall the last eight years and the last two weeks like a bad dream. God gives strength and sanity to the global community, to those who are capable of stopping it. Determination to those who must make the right decisions. But each of us is an individual who must show their opinion and assert their word, or else we will turn into what they want us to be – faceless, opinionless, rightless.” Speech delivered in court, March 10, 2022 Russian Text by Server Mustafayev, human rights activist*. Translated into English by Ukrainianvancouver team – Mar 15, 2022
*Server Rustemovych Mustafayev (Ukrainian: Сервер Рустемович Мустафаєв, born 5 May 1986 in Ziadin, Uzbekistan) is a Crimean Tatar human rights defender and coordinator of the civil rights organization Crimean Solidarity. On September 16, 2020 Mustafayev was sentenced by a Russian military court to fourteen years in a strict regime penal colony.
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