I’m sure many of us were horrified to read about the detention of the three women, Maria Alekhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, members of the band Pussy Riot in Moscow for allegedly performing a protest song in a cathedral. Their detention has now been extended until 24th June but they run a real risk being sentenced to seven years in gaol. 

Amnesty International has adopted them as prisoners of conscience and on 30 April issued an Urgent Action calling for their immediate release:

"Three young women are being detained by the Russian authorities ‘Pussy Riot’. On 19 April, a Moscow court extended the detention of the women until 24 June. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina were arrested on 4 March, and Ekaterina Samutsevich was arrested on 15 March. The three women, who are all in their twenties, have been charged with hooliganism under Article 213 of the Russian Criminal Code, for allegedly performing a protest song in Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral on 21 February.

If found guilty, they could be jailed for up to seven years. The three women deny any involvement in the protest in the cathedral. The defence has appealed against the extension of the three women’s detention. The Moscow City Court's judicial board on criminal cases set May 11 for the hearing of the appeal against the extension of Pussy Riot band members arrest on charges of hooliganism in Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral, Since the three women’s arrest, some of their family members as well as one of their lawyers have received threats.

Even though the police and the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office have been informed about these threats, there appears to be no investigation into the incidents. In addition, the tax authorities have reportedly blocked the bank account of the lawyers’ association where the lawyer of one of the three women works. The lawyers think that this is intended to put pressure on the lawyers to withdraw from the case.

The protest song titled ‘Virgin Mary, redeem us of Putin’ was performed by several members of the ‘Pussy Riot’ group with their faces covered by balaclavas. The song calls on Virgin Mary to become a feminist and banish Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin. It also criticises the dedication and support shown to President-elect Vladimir Putin by some representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church. The performance was part of wider protests against Putin and unfair elections in Russia. This, and the anti-clerical, anti-Putin content of the song’s message, appears to have been reflected in the severity of the charges that have been brought against the three women.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Since its establishment in 2011, the feminist punk group Pussy Riot has conducted several performances in public places such as the Moscow underground, Moscow Red Square and on top of buses. In media interviews the group members stated that they protest, among other things, against stifling of freedom of expression and assembly in Russia, unfair political processes and fabrication of criminal cases against opposition activists. Pussy Riot’s performance in Christ the Saviour cathedral led to a wide debate in blogs, social networks and media and resulted in actions being held both in support of and against the three arrested women."

Please support Pussy Riot 

This is a case where an international outcry could have a real beneficial effect on those being persecuted - especially for their appeal on 10th May. So it would be great if you could send your messages to the Russian authorities supporting Pussy Riot and their right to freedom of expression. We are asking the Russian authorities to drop the charges of hooliganism and immediately and unconditionally release Maria Alekhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova. We also seek that the Russian authorities immediately and impartially investigate threats received by the family members and lawyers of the three women and, if necessary, ensure their protection (Details below, for your convenience I have pasted a sample letter belowthat you could adapt and send by post or email)  

The webpage of Pussy Riot can be found here: http://freepussyriot.org/content/all-russia-public-movement-%E2%80%9C-human-rights%E2%80%9D-statement-russian-judiciary-has-been-turned-inqui

Where they stand 

*Various responses have been received from Russian officials and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church. Initially, a representative of the Orthodox Church called for mercy for the protestors. However, subsequently the Church representatives called for harsh punishment and for the women to be prosecuted for inciting hatred on grounds of religion.

*Shortly after the incident the press secretary of President-elect Vladimir Putin called the protest despicable and said it would be followed up ‘with all the necessary consequences’. However, several officials, including the Minister of Justice and the Speaker of the upper House of the Russian Parliament spoke against the three women’s imprisonment.

*Most recently, when asked about the Pussy Riot case, the outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev refused to discuss whether the three women should be kept in pre-trial detention on the grounds that if he commented, it would be interference with administration of justice. He said, however, that in his opinion the members of Pussy Riot ‘received what they hoped for – popularity

*Russian pop icon Alla Pugachyova said a custodial sentence for the suspects would be like “shooting sparrows with a canon” and suggested they be ordered to carry out community work in a convent instead.

*Patriarch Kirill said every believer in Russia was "stinged" by the protest."We will have no future if sacred shrines are desecrated, if this desecration is seen by some as virtue, as some proper expression of political protest, as some appropriate action or harmless joke," the patriarch said during a service in a Moscow church on Saturday.

*Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko called punk-prayer in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour "Outrageous" and "Immoral" act. However, she believes that the arrested suspects participating in this promotion can be released.

Further reading: http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/1678009/matvienko_otpustila_by_pussy_riot#ixzz1t13rJ0uy

*Russia's rights ombudsman condemned on Wednesday the decision to remand in custody three members of the all-female punk group Pussy Riot over an anti-Putin protest at Moscow's largest cathedral.

"I hope the court takes a reasonable decision. We have spoken out against them being detained before their trial," Vladimir Lukin told reporters in the Siberian city of Tomsk. "Why are they in custody? Did they try to blow up the cathedral?

*UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights Farida Shaheed. After the first day of his visit to Russia Shaheed stated concern about the fact that social activists in the country of are prosecuted. According to the UN Special Rapporteur, members of the group had the right "to challenge the religious symbols and values."

* Promoting Literature, Defending Freedom of Expression's International’s Writers in Prison Committee joins international condemnation of the imprisonment of three members of the Russian punk band, Pussy Riot.
Read: http://www.pen-international.org/newsitems/russia-pen-joins-calls-for-release-of-pussy-riot-band-members/

*An opinion poll released in April by the VTsIOM state pollster indicated that a mere 10 percent of Russians want to see the suspects remain behind bars. Just over half of the respondents favored community work or a fine.

Sample letter for the Russian authorities

Prosecutor of the Moscow's Central Administrative District
Denis Gennadievich Popov
Prosecutor's Office of the Central Administrative District
ul. L.Tolstogo, 8, str.1
Moscow 119021,
Russian Federation

prokcao@mosproc.ru

Dear Prosecutor

In March three young women: Maria Alekhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and
Ekaterina Samutsevich, were arrested in Moscow in connection with the performance of a protest song held by a feminist punk group 'Pussy Riot' in Moscow Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Even though the three women denied any involvement with the action they have been detained and charged withhooliganism. If found guilty they could be jailed for up to seven years.

Even if the three women did take part in the protest, the severity of the response of the Russian authorities would not be a justifiable response to the peaceful - if, to many, offensive - expression of their political beliefs. Amnesty International considers the three women prisoners of conscience.

Since their arrest, family members and one of their lawyers have received threats. Despite reporting the threats to both the police and your office, nothing seems to have been done. It also appears that the tax authorities have even blocked the bank account of the lawyers' association where a lawyer works who acts for one of the accused.

Maria Alekhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova's detention has been further extended to 24 June which their lawyers are appealing.

All three deny their involvement in the Cathedral but, even if they had taken part, a jail term of up to seven years for a peaceful expression of a political belief surely cannot be justified.

I write to urge you to drop charges of hooliganism and release Maria Alekhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova immediately and
unconditionally. Furthermore, I call on the Russian authorities to investigate immediately and impartially the threats received by the family and the lawyers acting for the three women and, if need be, to ensure their safety.

I look forward to your favourable response to my requests.

Yours sincerely