The Moscow arm of CNN say that within hours of being freed from prison (on Wednesday), PuSsY RiOt member Yekaterina Samutsevich vowed to resume the political protesting, that led to her incarceration earlier this year (for a so-called act of “hooliganism”) with fellow band members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina.
Samutsevich was freed after a judge accepted that she was ejected from the cathedral ‘before the punk prayer’ even took place. (He suspended her sentence on this technicality.)
Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina, the two collective members, who were arrested along with Yekaterina, lost their appeals; their two year sentences were upheld.
However, Pussy Riot is a five piece punk band: The two remaining band members fled Russia last month, out of fear of reprisals. They intend to recruit ‘foreign feminists’ in the fight against President Vladimir Putin.
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| Vladimir Putin (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Samutsevich talked to CNN about the rumours of splits in the band, and the future:
“We are not finished, nor are we going to end our political protest. The situation in the country [Russia] has deteriorated since our performance and the trial itself is a testimony to that.”
Pussy Riot do have some support in Russia though, mainly from the feminine masses. Even Russia’s Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, thinks the that a suspended sentence would be ‘entirely sufficient’ for all band members.
Nice article. I am a firm believer of free speech and political protesting for what you believe in, and there's no question Pussy Riot gained mass media coverage for their cause, but there has to be a different way of going about protesting without breaking laws. However, on the other hand, in certain circumstances due to government restrictions, I suppose the only way to be heard loud enough you have to get creative and make yourself known.
ReplyDeleteIn Russia there is no other way for women (who have no feminists rights) to be heard. They used the church as a symbol of the state, not as a protest against religion itself. Even though the protest was against Puin. The police were satisfied that they didn't initially break any laws.
ReplyDeleteIt was when the footage went viral on YouTube that a Russian minister decided that a crime had taken place.