Arrests at Pussy Riot rally

A Moscow court has pronolonged the detention of three members of punk feminist group Pussy Riot detention until the end of June.

The three alleged Pussy Riot Members are being prosecuted after performing a protest song “Mother of God, send Putin away” inside Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Ekaterina Samutsevich were arrested soon after the performance, in the run-up to Russian presidential elections, on charges of hooliganism. All of them deny the allegations and membership of Pussy Riot, who keep their identity hidden by wearing signature brightly coloured balaclavas.

The arrest caused a major public discussion about the Orthodox church relationship with the government and society in Russia.

Political and human rights activists have staged a number of solitary pickets supporting Pussy Rio in the wake of the arrest. A significant theme in the protests is the fact that Tolokonnikova and Alekhina are mothers to small children. Radical nationalist groups have tried to break up protests, including yesterday’s, when Pussy Riot supporters, including Moscow’s leading poets and musicians, gathered near the court building to hold a “Court Festival”.

The activists read poems and give lectures in support of Pussy Riot. Thirty people were arrested by the police: both supporters and opponents of Pussy Riot.

The prosecution of is widely seen as politically motivated, as Vladimir Putin might have been offended by their song. Amnesty International has named the women “prisoners of conscience”.

Arrests at Pussy Riot rally

A Moscow court has pronolonged the detention of three members of punk feminist group Pussy Riotdetention until the end of June.

The three alleged Pussy Riot Members are being prosecuted after performing a protest song “Mother of God, send Putin away” inside Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Ekaterina Samutsevich were arrested soon after the performance, in the run-up to Russian presidential elections, on charges of hooliganism. All of them deny the allegations and membership of Pussy Riot, who keep their identity hidden by wearing signature brightly coloured balaclavas.

The arrest caused a major public discussion about the Orthodox church relationship with the government and societyin Russia.

Political and human rights activists have staged a number of solitary pickets supporting Pussy Rio in the wake of the arrest. A significant theme in the protests is the fact that Tolokonnikova and Alekhina are mothers to small children. Radical nationalist groups have tried to break up protests, including yesterday’s, when Pussy Riot supporters, including Moscow’s leading poets and musicians, gathered near the court building to hold a “Court Festival”.

The activists  read poems and give lectures in support of Pussy Riot. Thirty people were arrested by the police: both supporters and opponents of Pussy Riot.

The prosecution of is widely seen as politically motivated, as Vladimir Putin might have been offended by their song. Amnesty International has named the women “prisoners of consciense”.

Russian feminist punk group Pussy Riot face trial for cathedral protest

Members of the Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot have been arrested in Moscow on the eve of the country’s presidential elections on charges of hooliganism. The Moscow court in charge decided to keep them imprisoned until 24 April, when they will be tried facing a sentence of up to 7 years. Two band members, both mothers, have announced a hunger strike until they are reunited with their children.

Pussy Riot is one of the most unusual  of all the opposition groups that have arisen in Moscow over the past few months. They perform political songs dressed in colourful mini-skirts and balaclavas. Their faces are covered so anyone can potentially join in. They were arrested after performing an anti-Putin punk prayer in Moscow’s Christ the Saviour cathedral.

The trial was supposed to take place on 5 March, the same day when mass demonstrations were scheduled to happen in Moscow. Journalists gathered at the Taganka court at 3pm, but were kept waiting for many hours in vain. “The strategy seems to be to wait for all of us to go to the protests, and hold the trial without a consistent presence of the press,” one said.

Waiting for the trial to start, the band members’ lawyer Nikolai Polozov told Index: “I do not understand why the trial is being postponed for such a long time. I got notice it was delayed by one, then two and then three hours, but now the inquirer does not even pick up my phone calls. If supporting documents are not brought in within 48 hours of the arrests, which is within a couple of hours, they will be forced to release them. But they could always determine the moment of the arrest to a later hour or find another legal caveat to keep them in”.

The supporting documents were eventually brought in. Two more band members were arrested in the evening hours of the same day.

Many Russians are showing support for the group through social media and real life actions. On 8 March, International Women’s Day, a number of flash mobs in support of the group are planned to take place all over Moscow. Recently re-elected president Vladimir Putin has stated he disapproves of the womens’ actions in the cathedral.