During his appeal hearing on Thursday, May 23, 2019, Dennis was able to give his final address to the court. The following is the transcript (translated from Russian) of his statement:

Now I would like to especially thank everyone who helped and supported me during the last two years of this criminal case.

First of all, I would like to thank my wife, Irina, who from the very start has done everything she can to help and support me. She took care of me, brought me clothes, food, medicines, and other things I needed in the detention center. She supported me emotionally and spiritually with her visits and with her letters, which I received every day.

My dearest wife, your strong faith, your great patience, your calmness, your love for me and for the truth, together with your optimism—all of this has been a great example for me. You should know that I love you very much and I’m very proud of you!

I also want to thank my family in Denmark, especially my elderly father and my sister. You should know that I really miss you. I love you and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. During my detention, you supported me with your many letters and phone calls. I am sure that you will never give up and that you will never lose hope that one day we can be together again as a family.

I would also like to thank my many friends from all over the world. You supported me with your letters, encouraging words, beautiful drawings, and gifts. All this helped me to realize that I’m not alone and that I have a large international family.

Dear friends, you should know that every letter, big or small, encouraged and strengthened me. Please don’t be discouraged if I can’t answer your letters. I will find you, thank you, and hug you in the future—I promise!

I would also like to thank the Embassy of Denmark in Moscow and its entire staff. You attended many hearings and visited me in the detention center a number of times. Your beneficial advice, guidance, and encouragement meant a lot to me. I appreciate the support and help you have provided.

I would also like to thank the Court of Appeals for allowing me to attend this hearing in person. When I participated in other appellate hearings via videoconference at the detention center, it was hard for me to hear everything that was said. I had to guess at half of what was happening. That was poor for my defense. Besides that, when using videoconferencing at a detention center, you sit behind bars as if you were an animal in a zoo. I consider this to be inappropriate and inhuman treatment for the 21st century.

By now, I have spent almost 2 years in the detention center, and this court case has been going on for 15 months already. To withstand all of this, to not give up, and to not get discouraged, it is essential to have a certain inner strength. In the Bible, in Philippians chapter 4, verse 13, it says: “For all things I have the strength through the one who gives me power.” a In the book of Isaiah chapter 12, verse 2, it says: “Look! God is my salvation. I will trust and feel no dread; for Jah Jehovah is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation.”

During all this time, I have felt that my God Jehovah was beside me, giving me strength to endure all this; strength not to give up, to fight discouragement, to be joyful and happy, and to keep smiling. I am truly thankful for this, and I am proud that I serve him as one of his witnesses—one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Many have asked me how this criminal case has affected me. Of course, it’s not easy to be in a detention center for such a long period of time, to be cut off from my wife, and from close association with my family and friends. For the last two years, I have lived a very isolated life. I was just existing, you could say. I spent 23 out of 24 hours a day in my prison cell, 3 meters by 6 meters (approx. 10 ft by 20 ft). One hour a day I would walk in an exercise yard, also 3 meters by 6 meters (approx. 10 ft by 20 ft), but at least it was outside. During this time, I met various people and had many interesting conversations. And I noticed that many of them are trying to get a decent and fair investigation and trial. Most of them feel like they are not being heard, and I have had the same feeling during the last two years. I have tried to support and encourage them as best I could, because I am sure that Jesus Christ would have done the same.

I have made many new friends. Some of them attended a number of court sessions; others wrote me letters. I know some of them personally, but others, not yet. Some of them share my religious beliefs; others do not. But they support me anyway because they can’t bear this injustice that is taking place here in Russia, where some are trying to brand Jehovah’s Witnesses—peaceful citizens who love their neighbors as themselves—as criminals and are calling them extremists. This is totally illogical and ridiculous. Many are shocked that these things are happening here in Russia in the 21st century.

Some have asked me how this criminal case has affected my faith. Thanks to this criminal case, my faith has become only stronger and I have experienced what is written in the Bible in the letter of James chapter 1, verses 2 to 4: “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith produces endurance. But let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything.”

I am far from perfect, but I have learned to endure and to stay joyful under trial. And what is most important is that I have drawn even closer to my God Jehovah. I feel an even stronger desire to tell others about him and his purposes; a stronger desire to continue declaring the good news of God’s Kingdom, which is the only solution to mankind’s problems; a stronger desire to share with others the good news from the Bible about peace and eternal life in Paradise on earth, to help them draw close to the Creator and to cultivate strong faith in him and his promises.

This speech is officially called “Last word in one’s defense,” and perhaps these are the last words you will hear from me today. Perhaps this will be the last court session in this criminal case and will mark the end to this two-year period of my life. But I want to assure you that these are not my last words about this case and about the injustice that is happening here in Russia against peaceful and completely innocent people. I have just started, and I still have much to tell you publicly. I will not remain silent, as if I were guilty of something or as if I had something to hide. I have a clean conscience—I have done nothing wrong, I have not violated any Russian laws, and I have nothing to be ashamed of.

What is happening to me and to other Jehovah’s Witnesses here in Russia—false accusations of extremism, interrogations, arrests, searches, confiscations, investigations, threats, and now even torture—that is something to be ashamed of. That, of course, is a disgrace. The truth always comes out and justice will prevail sooner or later. In the Bible, in Galatians chapter 6, verse 7, it says: “Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a person is sowing, this he will also reap.”

The trial court imposed a six-year prison sentence on me, but for what? For nothing! There is no evidence whatsoever that I did anything wrong. On the contrary, there is much evidence that I exercised the rights afforded me under Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. I abide by the law of the Russian government, and I am an honest person. I am a Christian, a believer, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I love the Russian people. Why am I being punished? Why am I being put in prison for six years? For nothing. It is unjust.

I sincerely hope that the appellate court will champion the law today and will make sure that justice will prevail. I hope that it will be this court that will put an end to the religious persecution taking place here in Russia. I truly hope that this appellate court will put the whole world on notice that here in Russia there is religious freedom for everyone.

In the near future, these words will be fulfilled: “He will render judgment among many peoples . . . They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they learn war anymore. They will sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one will make them afraid,” Micah chapter 4, verses 3 and 4.

God always judges fairly, and there will be no more disputes, violence, or wars under his rule. Instead, there will be peace, and there will be no anxieties. In other words, there will be true happiness for all mankind.

Your Honor, by your decision today, you can take a large step in that direction, in the direction of justice and peace; a large step in the direction of a world without fear, sorrow, and injustice. And I hope that you will take this step. Thank you in advance!