By Nadiya Savchenko, posted on Facebook by her sister Vira Savchenko
Posted on 03.03.2016
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Editor’s note: This is a translation of Nadiya Savchenko’s handwritten “Final Word” which is allowed her in court on the last day of her trial but which she was not allowed to say today as the judge abruptly stopped the court proceedings just as she began and stated they would reconvene on March 9th, then ran out of the courtroom. Her sister, Vira Savchenko, posted this (in Ukrainian and Russian) on her own Facebook page.

Nadiya Savchenko at end of court trial today, March 3, 2016. Photo: social media

“The final word:

I do not recognize my guilt, nor the verdict, nor the Russian court. In the event of a conviction – there will not be an appeal. I want the whole civilized, democratic world to understand that Russia – is a third-world country with a totalitarian regime, ruled by a petty dictator, a country that spits on human rights and international law.

It is an absurd situation, when those who kidnap people and subject them to torture – then pretend that they have the right to judge them. What kind of a fair trial is there to talk about? In Russia, there is neither a trial nor an investigation! There is only a farce of Kremlin puppets, and I consider participation in it to be an absolute waste of my time and life!

Therefore, there will be no appeal. Here is what will happen: after the verdict, I will continue the hunger strike for another ten days until the verdict comes into effect. This includes the time required to translate it into Ukrainian, because they’re very good at dragging time out with translations. After ten days, I will declare a dry hunger strike and then Russia will have no more than ten days to take me back to Ukraine, from where they kidnapped me! And I do not care how they will justify it. I heard that [President] Petro Poroshenko is a fairly skilled diplomat. Well, I hope that his diplomatic skills will be enough to come to an agreement with one idiot in Russia… After all, he promised my mother that I would be home for the May holidays in 2015.

And while they bargain over me, life will be leaving me, and one way or another, Russia will still have to return me to Ukraine – living or dead! But it will return me!

And for all these ten days, my sister will stand by the prison gates, day and night, and wait – whether they release me or carry me out. And if you imprison her – my 77-year-old mother will come to stand in her place. Will you imprison her too? Then in her place will stand my girlfriend, then another friend, followed by Ukrainian after Ukrainian! And remember – you can’t lock them all up! And while my fellow citizens stand there, simple, honest and decent Russians from the neighboring houses will start bringing them hot tea, sandwiches and blankets – for each of them understands that any child of theirs can wind up in my place in this Prison of the Peoples that goes by the name of Russia!

And this is how Maidans begin! Do you need this?! You are afraid of this like fire! So it’s better for the Kremlin to take me back to Ukraine as soon as possible, and alive!

And the world of democratic values would do good to understand the lessons of history and remember that at one time Europe was tolerant with Hitler, America was not decisive enough, and it led to World War II. Putin is a tyrant with imperial aspiration, and the personality complexes of Napoleon and Hitler put together. A bear does not understand the human language, it understands only the language of force. Therefore, if we do not become more resolute and don’t define our priorities in a timely manner, we will soon have a third world war.

As a politician, I will not shake hands with Russia in the political arena. It is out of hand to shake hands with those who held you in handcuffs, and your people in chains. Whenever I make a political decision, I will always think about its effect on the common people, of Ukraine as well as Russia. For in Russia, in spite of everything, there are nevertheless many honest, decent, kind and unfortunate people.

Nadiya Savchenko at end of court today, March 3, 2016. Photo: HromadskeTV video

Source: Vira Savchenko’s FB

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.