Russian band Pussy Riot face years in jail pending Friday verdict - IFEX
This Friday, 17 August 2012, a verdict will be handed down in the trial against members of Pussy Riot, a Russian punk group charged with hooliganism after performing their "punk prayer" in a Moscow church, criticising the Russian Orthodox Church's endorsement of President Putin. If convicted, three members, Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, and Yekaterina Samusevch face three years in jail. They have been held in pre-trial detention since March 2012.
Take action now to influence Friday's verdict, and help keep members of Pussy Riot out of jail!
Here are 3 things you can do:
1. Sign this Amnesty International petition calling on the Russian authorities to drop all charges and release detained members of Pussy Riot.
2. Take part in the Pussy Riot Global Day, Friday 17 August. For information about events in your city visit http://www.freepussyriot.org/.
3. Send a personal message to President Putin urging him to respect freedom of expression and to immediately and unconditionally release Maria Alekhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova. Be sure to copy the Russian ambassador in your own country. The list is on line here.
Pussy Riot is an anonymous Russian feminist performance art group formed in October 2011. Through a series of peaceful performances in highly visible places, the group has given voice to basic rights under threat in Russia today, expressing the values and principles of gender equality, democracy and freedom of expression contained in the Russian constitution and other international instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the CEDAW Convention.
Detained members of the art group Pussy Riot are:
On 21 February, four members of Pussy Riot entered the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, wearing brightly coloured outfits and balaclavas masking their faces. For a few minutes they danced in front of the altar, singing their “punk prayer” before being removed from the building.
One week after the performance, an edited video of Pussy Riot performing, both in the church and elsewhere, appeared on Youtube, and a week after that the police were instructed to arrest the group's known members.
Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevich were arrested and charged with “hooliganism” under Article 213 of the Russian Criminal Code, which carries a maximum seven-year jail term, although the prosecutor has called for a three year sentence.
The group says on their website, "The intention of the performance was to draw attention to the special relationship between President Putin and the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church."
Since March 4th, the women have sat in pre-trial detention, refused bail due to what the authorities termed as "fear for the women's safety."
PEN International published a translation of their "punk prayer" Punk Moleben and its context.
For recent news, see:
Russia: Prosecutor seeks three years sentence for members of Pussy Riot (Freemuse)
Russia: Freemuse calls for free and fair trial for Pussy Riot - with video feeds from the courtroom
God is judging Pussy Riot, says Russian church leader (The Guardian, UK)
Pussy Riot on Putin, 'punk prayers' and superheroes - video interview (The Guardian)
...be it known that ORTHODOX "JEWS", Academia Theology, Academia Biology Evolution, R.C.M.P Police of Canada, Catholic Church, Anglicans, etc..., have declared a war on my person and Book of Pure Logic !
...draconian RUSSIA in action , and soon Canada !
.
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment