The controversial trial of three members of the Russian feminist activist group Pussy Riot ended Aug. 17 with the announcement of a guilty verdict and two-year prison sentence for each of the three women. The Khamovnichesky District Court of Moscow found Pussy Riot members Natalia Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich guilty of “hooliganism” characterized by the court as driven by religious hatred. The three women were tried for their “guerilla performance” of a protest song in February at the altar of downtown Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral, a space maintained to be sacred to the Russian Orthodox Church. Defense counsel for the women lambasted the prosecution and reiterated their intent to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights both the verdict and alleged rights violations that have occurred throughout the trial.
The lawyers have alleged that they have not been allowed to speak with their clients in private and that because each day of trial lasted over 10 hours their clients were deprived of adequate sleep. They also stated that their clients did not received hot food once the trial began, prompting an ambulance to be called during the third day of the trial after the women reported feeling ill. Prosecutors had requested a three-year sentence for each of the band members.
The trial of the three activists has created controversy and has been criticized as politically motivated move by Russian President Vladimir Putin to discredit his opposition. This month lawyers for the women requested that the judge recuse herself because her decisions were politically motivated. Judge Marina Syrova declined to hear the defense motion for her recusal and moved forward with the trial. The defense had also moved for the judge’s recusal last month but that motion was also denied. The women were arrested in March and the trial began at the end of July.
From Jurist, Aug. 17. Used with permission.
Counterpunch disses Pussy Riot
Oh wonderful. The neo-fascist Israel Shamir disses Pussy Riot as degenerates (and glorifies Putin as a man of the people) on Counterpunch. Can anyone explain to us why this evil rag has a SHRED of credibility on the “left”?
We’ll be waiting.
Pussy Riot
Counterpunch has published at least 2 defenses of Pussy Riot as well as 2 attacks (Shamir and Mike Whitney). So, on that score, there is some balance and credibility.
The real question is why does Counterpunch publish Shamir at all? If Shamir, why not Pat Buchanan and David Duke as well?
Counterpunch’s “balance and credibility”
Get outta here. As if reactionary intolerance were just another legitimate POV—and in a publication of the “left” (sic) no less!
We share your view of Shamir, of course.
Pussy Riot members released under new amnesty laws
Two members of the feminist rock group Pussy Riot, Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, were released from prison on Dec. 23 after the Russian government's approval of sweeping new amnesty laws. The new amnesty laws have been criticized as an attempt to improve government's image before the Sochi Olympics.
From Jurist, Dec. 23. Used with permission.
The third member, Yekaterina Samutsevich, received a suspended sentence in October 2012. (The Guardian, Oct. 10, 2012) Alyokhina, upon her release, called her own amnesty a "PR stunt." (RT, Dec. 23)
Pussy Riot still waiting for justice
The Russian government has failed in its attempt to overturn the artist-activist group Pussy Riot’s victory in the European Court of Human Rights. The Strasbourg court ruled in July that Russia must pay three activists some $55,000 in compensation for violating their human rights when they were arrested in 2012 after a performance art piece in a cathedral. Payment is due to the activists within three months. (ArtNet News, Dec. 5)