A supporter of female Russian punk band Pussy Riot holds a poster as he pickets outside a Moscow courthouse in March. (photo: AFP)
Jul 20, 2012
Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot were ordered to stay in pre-trial detention an additional six months on Friday highlighting the crackdown on dissent of the Putin regime.
The trio was arrested in February after performing an anti-Putin song, "Virgin Mary, Redeem us of Putin," in Christ the Saviour Cathedral, and news agencies report they face charges of "hoolaginism.'
"This is a political trial. This is not justice but repression with a political motive," one of their lawyers, Mark Feigin, said after the ruling.
Father of band member Yekaterina Samutsevich said outside the courthouse, "Russia is turning into a totalitarian state."
"These three activists have now been behind bars for months, awaiting a trial that should not be taking place, " said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia director. "Even if the three women did take part in the protest, detention on the serious criminal charge of hooliganism would not be a justifiable response to the peaceful - if, to many, offensive - expression of their political beliefs."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot were ordered to stay in pre-trial detention an additional six months on Friday highlighting the crackdown on dissent of the Putin regime.
The trio was arrested in February after performing an anti-Putin song, "Virgin Mary, Redeem us of Putin," in Christ the Saviour Cathedral, and news agencies report they face charges of "hoolaginism.'
"This is a political trial. This is not justice but repression with a political motive," one of their lawyers, Mark Feigin, said after the ruling.
Father of band member Yekaterina Samutsevich said outside the courthouse, "Russia is turning into a totalitarian state."
"These three activists have now been behind bars for months, awaiting a trial that should not be taking place, " said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia director. "Even if the three women did take part in the protest, detention on the serious criminal charge of hooliganism would not be a justifiable response to the peaceful - if, to many, offensive - expression of their political beliefs."
Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot were ordered to stay in pre-trial detention an additional six months on Friday highlighting the crackdown on dissent of the Putin regime.
The trio was arrested in February after performing an anti-Putin song, "Virgin Mary, Redeem us of Putin," in Christ the Saviour Cathedral, and news agencies report they face charges of "hoolaginism.'
"This is a political trial. This is not justice but repression with a political motive," one of their lawyers, Mark Feigin, said after the ruling.
Father of band member Yekaterina Samutsevich said outside the courthouse, "Russia is turning into a totalitarian state."
"These three activists have now been behind bars for months, awaiting a trial that should not be taking place, " said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia director. "Even if the three women did take part in the protest, detention on the serious criminal charge of hooliganism would not be a justifiable response to the peaceful - if, to many, offensive - expression of their political beliefs."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.