Pussy Riot Girls Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
By Steve Kinsman, 17th Aug 2012 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutNewsCrime
Three punk rockers are going to prison for two years because they criticized Putin
Don't cross Putin
After a Russian court found them guilty of "hooliganism," the three members of the punk rock band Pussy Riot have been sentenced by a Russian judge to two years in a Russian prison. Sitting in a cage in the courtroom, the three - Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich - have remained defiant to the end. They have been in jail since February, 2012, as they awaited trial.
Russian justice, according to the judge
Pronouncing sentence, the judge said the defendants "committed an act of hooliganism...based on motives of religious hatred and enmity...Members of the group Pussy Riot criminally colluded to commit a flagrant violation of social order, expressing manifest disrespect to society."
Because the group performed their song, Virgin Mary, Chase Putin Out, in Christ the Savior Cathedral, the judge said they committed an act of religious hatred, but the band members said that their song was not anti-religion, it was an act of political protest.
All over the world, the band has received support and many have protested, viewing the trial as a crackdown on dissent in Putin's Russia.
Link: Feminist Punk Rockers Begin Hunger Strike in Russia
Images from commondreams.org
Comments
17th Aug 2012 (#)
As an artist there is an image to keep and the pathway to endorse to be able to get to the target audience. If you are inciting unruly behaviour and creating a following that could end up with World War 3, best to nip it in the bud.
While freedom of expression is great, its not something that should be used to incite disharmony, break ups, hurt, pain and even death and if the band has no values as are promoting disregard to sentiments and beliefs, they ought to be banned and stopped from functioning.
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17th Aug 2012 (#)
I could not disagree with you more. All civil progress starts from public dissent.
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17th Aug 2012 (#)
the right of people to respond and react is one of the key of Democracy .Why do they are tempted to react .jk
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17th Aug 2012 (#)
Thank you jk.
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17th Aug 2012 (#)
It was a set up.. inviting a punk band to play in a Church, come on...
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17th Aug 2012 (#)
wow Mark that is something to think about especially as many circumstances are and have been set up throughout history in order to achieve nefarious goals...oh dear me!
thank you Steve for another eye opener...light to those three....FTHG
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17th Aug 2012 (#)
Latter day Zealots maybe? Why, even Jesus was villified for up-ending the money lender's tables in the Temple. As a former Sunday school teacher I support Pussy Riot's attempts to expose the hypocrisy and the politicisation of the Russian Orthodox Church. Martin Luther and John Calvin will, I'm sure, be applauding them too. I pray that those young ladies will be protected, remembered and revered by the Western World in the same way the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma have been over many years.
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18th Aug 2012 (#)
Protests in support of these three girls are taking place all over the world at this moment. Thanks, Lewis.
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18th Aug 2012 (#)
They are testing the waters in Russia under Putin. Obviously, the theater was not right for the show! siva
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18th Aug 2012 (#)
I agree - the girls were really pushing the envelope, but that's just what is needed these days. They are helping to raise the mass consciousness. Thank you Siva.
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19th Aug 2012 (#)
I think the girls crossed the line. You have to do everything in limits and in any case the majority of Russians support the jail term., despite all the noise from the USA and UK
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19th Aug 2012 (#)
So because the majority of Russians support the decision, it is right?
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19th Aug 2012 (#)
Dear Steve, excellent article and information.
Souvik Chatterji.
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19th Aug 2012 (#)
Thank you Souvik.
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19th Aug 2012 (#)
Brave young women in a gutless, totalitarian society. This is a theme we have heard before ...
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19th Aug 2012 (#)
Indeed it is. Thank you David.
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20th Aug 2012 (#)
I don’t get it, they went to jail because they criticized Putin or they did it in a church. If they had criticized him a grocery store they would be free or if they were protesting the lack of grocery store selections in Russia, I cannot see where religious hatred has anything to do with the sentence here. An article with more insight would be helpful, perhaps I should Google it.
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20th Aug 2012 (#)
No insight here, Robb, just reporting of the facts. Thanks for commenting.
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