Free Pussy Riot

Pussy Riot is a female punk rock band that has preformed songs critical of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Its members are anonymous and they perform wearing brightly colored cloth masks.  

On February 21, Pussy Riot preformed an unauthorized “punk prayer” at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.

According to freepussyriot.org, these are the lyrics of the “punk prayer.”


[ Virgin Mary, Mother of God, put Putin away

Put Putin away, put Putin away

(end chorus)

…

Black robe, golden epaulettes

All parishioners crawl to bow

The phantom of liberty is in heaven

Gay-pride sent to Siberia in chains

The head of the KGB, their chief saint,

Leads protesters to prison under escort

In order not to offend His Holiness

Women must give birth and love

Shit, shit, the Lord’s shit!

Shit, shit, the Lord’s shit!

(Chorus)

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, become a feminist

Become a feminist, become a feminist

(end chorus)

The Church’s praise of rotten dictators

The cross-bearer procession of black limousines

A teacher-preacher will meet you at school

Go to class-bring him money!

Patriarch Gundyaev believes in Putin

Bitch, better believe in God instead

The belt of the Virgin can’t replace mass-meetings

Mary, mother of God, is with us in protest!

(Chorus)

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, put Putin away

Put Putin away, put Putin away

(end chorus) ]

On March 4, the date of the Russian Presidential Election, two suspected members of Pussy Riot, Maria Alyhokina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, were arrested. Both women are mothers with a young child at home.

On March 15, a third suspected member of Pussy Riot, Ekaterina Samutsevic, was arrested. The three women have been charged with “hooliganism,” which is an actual crime in Russia, and could face up to 7 years in prison if convicted. A judge has ruled that the three must remain in prison until their trial. The judge extended their pre-trial detention through June 24.

Reactions to the case from the Orthodox community in Russia have been mixed. A senior Orthodox Cleric said that the performers, “have declared war on Orthodox people and there will be a war” and that, “if the blasphemers are not punished, God will punish them in eternity and here through people.” Some orthodox priests have presented a letter that they say they were ordered to circulate calling for the members of Pussy Riot to be punished as severely as possible. Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, denies this. Members of the Orthodox Church have circulated another letter asking the Patriarch to, “maintain a Christian attitude” and calls for all charges against the women to be dropped. The Patriarch hasn’t been persuaded by this attempt. He said that during Pussy Riot’s performance, “the devil laughed at us.” He criticized those who, “justify and downplay this sacrilege.” He went on to say that, “My heart breaks from bitterness that amongst these people there are those who call themselves Orthodox.”

Amnesty International, a British human rights organization, has classified the women as “prisoners of conscience” and has called for their release.

I agree. While Pussy Riot’s choice to perform their protest at an Orthodox church was undoubtedly offensive to many Russians and unlikely to bring others to their cause, Pussy Riot’s act of civil disobedience should not be punished with jail time. The three suspected members of Pussy Riot should be immediately released. Their disruption was a minor one and deserves to be treated as such.

h/t Power Vertical at Radio Free Europe

 

 

 

UPDATE (8/17/12): On August 17, three members of Pussy Riot (Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Marina Alyokhina, and Yekaterina Samutsevich) were sentenced to 2 years in prison. The amount of time the women have been in prison prior to their trial counts towards their sentence. Thus Maria and Nadezhda have 18 and a half months remaining in their sentence. Ekaterina has 19 months remaining. Reaction to the sentence in Russia is mixed.

This punishment is greatly disproportionate to the crime. It is an ominous symbol that dissent will not be tolerated in Putin’s Russia.

UPDATE (11/18/12): On October 10, Yekaterina Samutsevich was released from prison on appeal. She received a suspended sentence because she had been prevented from participating in the performance by church security guards. She has served 7 months in prison. The other two members of Pussy Riot have 1 year and 4 ½ months remaining in their sentences.