Press Release
The Speech Delivered in Court by Songatov Ruslan, Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison
(Translated)

In the name of Allah, the Merciful the Beneficent, all thanks and praise is due to Allah, we seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and the consequences of our evil deeds. Whoever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whoever Allah leads astray will never find guidance. I bear witness there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger…

The time has come when the believers are convicted due to their belief in the Deen of Islam, and their strife to the pleasure of Allah in all His provisions. The current court prove that they are not sentencing us, nor sentencing Hizb ut Tahrir, but are today sentencing the Deen of Allah, Islam.

This mock trial has taken place in order to give the impression that they are prosecuting us for certain crimes, not because of our religious and political views. The trial also proved that Islam in Russia is prohibited, except for part of it, and even this part frightens the ruling regime.

The have currently declared that we are guilty, considering Hizb ut Tahrir a terrorist organization, which was the decision issued by the Supreme Court of Russia on 14 February 2003, and they now do not need to investigate whether we committed a crime or not, it is enough that we declare that we are members in Hizb ut Tahrir. It is a comforting matter that they declared first that the party is banned, and without providing any evidence of the party members’ danger to society, it is sufficient that you admit your membership to the party and thus become a criminal.

There is no doubt that chasing Hizb ut Tahrir members is a political act, not a crime-finding. Thus they are not prosecuting us for a specific crime, but because of our views, as was the case at the time of the Stalinist persecution. Our reality today is no different from that fact, when people because of their religious beliefs and opinions are sent to detention camps for periods ranging from 10 to 15 years according to article 58 of the Constitution of the Soviet Union on the “enemy of the people”. Many of them at that time, as now, had their sentences increased and were not released. Today, the imprisonment for membership in Hizb ut Tahrir reaches 24 years. What is the difference between today and the Stalinist terrorism? Today we are tried in military courts, and these are the same secret trials as those during the period of internment camps for criminals, which shows once again that the declared war is against Islam.

Those who have put us here are fully aware that their work is against the law, they know how they have covered the charges and the methods used in such cases, where they do not observe the laws of the Russian Federation. Indeed, there is an order to fight the disparate-intellectuals and imprison them for long periods of time, executing the order of their chief. They are servants to the chief and are not law-enforcers. They do not dare to tell the truth about their work and the lawsuits, as this affects their status and financial income.

Those who put us here receive money and gain promotions in their jobs at the expense of the tears and sufferings of our sons, wives and mothers. Yes, this is a heavy burden on these people, anyone who contributed to our presence here cannot speak the Truth (Haq) because they are not free… We are free behind these bars, that’s why we speak and continue to speak the truth openly, as speaking the truth is the command of our Lord the Almighty.

Praise be to Allah the Almighty, who created me and guided me to the straight path; I believe in Allah, and in eternal life after death, I believe in paradise and hellfire, I believe that every person will be resurrected and questioned about his actions on the Day of Judgement. The meaning of life to me is gaining the Pleasure of Allah. I believe that the attainment of this will only be by full obedience to Allah in all His commands and prohibitions. This alone provides security and happiness in both worlds.

The provisions of Allah are one for all, including the Kuffar, and they are just provisions. The proof of this is the historical truth when the Christians defended the Islamic state side by side with the Muslims against the crusaders, when the Crusaders were waiting for the Eastern Christians to support them. The Christians of the Islamic state realized the justice of the Khilafah (Caliphate) and it was established upon divine laws that guaranteed the interests of society and protected its rights. The Crusaders, however, came with death and destruction… Such examples in the history of the Caliphate are very extensive.

Today, they terrify the world of the Caliphate, but who has decided that the Caliphate is bad? Who decided that he was smarter than the Creator and took it upon himself to consider what is good and what is evil? Who decided that secularism, capitalism and feudalism are better? For centuries, the Caliphate did not know of a phenomenon such as terrorism, it did not know nuclear or chemical bombs, it did not see as much sorrow as we see today. All this was found after the destruction of the Islamic state and the advent of secular rule. This is all because man has decided that he is smarter than the Creator and does not need Him.

The truth is that Islam does not pose danger, but danger lies in its absence. Islam is justice and compassion for people. The state of the Caliphate is the one that spreads justice and mercy on the earth.

The repeated attack on the idea of the Caliphate state and the Shari’ah provisions and distorting it does not bring any good to those who do so today. These concepts have become prominent to the Muslims and the Islamic state has reached the doorsteps of the countries of the criminal capitalist world and has disrupt their sleep. Yes, it has become obvious that the time of the Caliphate has come, and is undoubtedly imminent, no matter how long the enemies await otherwise. The Islamic Caliphate will cut off obstacles and difficulties and the world will shine with the light of Islam. Who decided that this is evil? Why can’t I as a Muslim have the right to desire this? Who prevents me from this?

I wish all goodness to Muslims, non-Muslims, everyone and society. My call to Islam is my way of helping people who will eventually die to find the path to Paradise. The call to Islam and the Islamic way of life is the obligation from our Lord, which we must carry to the people. No one can stop me from doing so. No one can intimidate me with his harsh sentences to jail thinking that I will stop.

The regime today uses lies to portray us as criminals and terrorists, without bringing any evidence or argument. Torture and cruel trials have been used against us, and the regime's goal is for us to leave our religious and political views. The criminal is the one who brought us here and whoever is helping him in this case.

Those who declare war against Allah and His religion say to us, "Leave what is with you. It is the cause of your affliction, the loss of your future, your imprisonment in the darkness of the prisons and an escape in earth." Our answer is: "Allah honours whomever He wills, and humiliates whomever He wills. You will regret this. We will stay steadfast and patient on the same path, as this is the meaning of our life.”

We know that we will face difficulties and trials when we walk in the path of the call to Islam. It is sufficient to us that we suffer because of our obedience to Allah Almighty and our desire to live according to His rulings.

I do not plead guilty… The guilty are those who accuse me of terrorism because of my beliefs… The guilty are those who dared to try the religion of Allah, Islam. I have chosen my way a long time ago, and those who are accusing me have also chosen their way and know that there is no crime. Each chooses a path in this life. Perhaps whoever has a relationship with this issue, starting with the investigator, will feel the bitterness of his decision in this world, but every injustice on the part of the human will be faced with darkness and blindness in the Hereafter. Allah the Almighty says:

﴿يَوْمَئِذٍ يُوَفِّيهِمُ اللَّهُ دِينَهُمُ الْحَقَّ وَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ﴾

“On that day Allah will pay them their just due, and they will know that Allah, He is the Manifest Truth.” [Al-Nour: 25]

Finally, I swear by Almighty Allah that I will be the guardian of Islam and faithful to it, adopting the views, ideas and concepts of Hizb ut Tahrir by word and action, confident in the leadership of the party and carrying out its orders even if they violate my opinion and that I will do my best to achieve its end as long as I am in it, and Allah is a witness over what I say.

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Russia