Pussy Riot show trial

Pussy Riot show trial punk rock is not a crime

We are grateful to those who pray for us. — Pussy Riot’s lead singer, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova

Found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison for singing an anti-Putin song in a Cathedral. In the verdict it is said that the defendants “suffered from mixed personality disorder displayed by their active position in life”.

Foolish maybe, deserving a slap on the wrist, but nothing more, certainly not a Stalin-era show trial and two years in prison.

This is a dark day for Russia, bad for democracy, bad for human rights, bad for freedom of speech, bad for religious tolerance.

Vladimir Putin should be a big enough man to be able to handle a little criticism.

Fundamentalists and bigots in the Russian Orthodox church need to drag themselves out of the Dark Ages and recognise the time of witch hunts, inquisition, branding as heretics and burning at the stake are long gone.

Maybe Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church should read their Dostoevsky.

• The Grand Inquisitor

For a theological viewpoint, Giles Fraser, former Canon-Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral.

• Pussy Riot’s crime was violating the sacred. That’s what got Jesus in court

Punk rock is not a crime. It may be appallingly bad music, but it is not a crime attracting two years in prison.

Lawyers acting for Pussy Riot intend to appeal, and will if necessary take their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

A number of protesters had been arrested outside the court before the sentencing was announced, including ex-world chess champion Garry Kasparov and opposition politician Sergei Udaltsov.

In his first one hundred days in office, Vladimir Putin has managed to turn Russia into a pariah state. First by backing Assad and his slaughter of Syrian people. Second with a Stalin-era show trial of Pussy Riot and two years in prison.

• Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism
• Russia’s Pussy Riot trio found guilty of hooliganism
• In pictures: Pussy Riot jailed
• Pussy Riot sentenced to two years in prison colony over anti-Putin protest
• Pussy Riot supporters around the world protest against prison sentence – in pictures
• Pussy Riot verdict greeted with defiance
• Putin’s message: if you’re pro Pussy Riot you’re against the Orthodox church
• Tanya Lokshina: The Pussy Riot trial is a turning point for how we view Russia
• Laurie Penny: There’s no democracy – Putin is the Tsar of Russia now
• Pussy Riot sentenced to two years in jail
• Madonna: prison for Pussy Riot would be a ‘tragedy’

Tags: democracy, free speech, human rights, Pussy Riot, Pussy Riot show trial, Russian Orthodox Church, Vladimir Putin