Russia jails Pussy Riot protest punks for two years

World Aug. 18, 2012 - 06:20AM JST ( 37 )

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37 Comments

3

paulinusaAug. 18, 2012 - 07:14AM JST

"A spokesman for the Russian leader said Putin had no say in the court’s decision..."

"Leading ruling party member Andrei Isayev called the sentence “harsh” and noted that Putin had yet to speak his full mind on the matter."

This judge knew she would lose her job if she went easy. Better to impose a harsh sentence and maybe have "hero" Putin reduce it. But of course, he has no influence on the court. Right.
-2

LizzAug. 18, 2012 - 09:08AM JST

"The fact I am in prison doesn't make me angry," Miss Tolokonnikova, a philosophy graduate, wrote to her lawyer before the verdict. "There is no personal malice. But there is a political one. Our term in prison is a clear and distinct sign that freedom is being taken away from the whole country. And that threatens destruction of the liberating, emancipating forces of Russia. That's what makes me angry."

Angry ? The pictures I saw were three women smiling and laughing after the verdict. Martyrs in the fight for Russian Democracy indeed. The nature of the act itself drawing analogies to a Holy "medieval inquisition" caused such a wide response and split public opinion, both secular and religious they have most definitely won for losing to the notorious Russian judicial machine.
-1

VicMOsakaAug. 18, 2012 - 09:26AM JST

If that's what they call singing, I would put them in jail too.
0

tapi0caAug. 18, 2012 - 10:44AM JST

uh... (not defining 'moral') but hasn't the moral compass just gone crazy? Was not Washington under whatever control in and out of the 'freedom of speech' bag in a dizzying affront to record companies (record labeling, etc. (remember the porn wars of the 80's and zappa testifying?)), the taking of funds from entities like the arts and pbs over Maplethorpe exhibits? -- suddenly this morning I wake up and GEeeeeze! Everyone one has 'Pussy Riot' on their lips. Laughs. Seems like Russia took a line from Prince, when he sang 'girl you need pussy control!' -- wow. I can type that today and not get censored!

Thank you Russia, with love~
0

smithinjapanAug. 18, 2012 - 11:47AM JST

Ah, making martyrs.
-3

ubikwitAug. 18, 2012 - 04:26PM JST

these girls give "punk" a bad name.

judging from the following videos the women on trial are three no-talent disgusting rabid women.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZUhkWiiv7M

and the certainly seem like nothing but publicity whores vandalizing a church in the following video, which is probably what landed them where they belong, incarcerated with other criminals in a penitentiary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALS92big4TY

there is nothing creative or artistically inspiring in in anything i see here.

i wonder where they find the backing to carry out this kind of sociopathic publicity stunts.
-1

shanabelleAug. 18, 2012 - 05:16PM JST

Not a lot of sympathy here. Attention seeking can get you in trouble sometimes!
-6

ubikwitAug. 18, 2012 - 07:25PM JST

if i were putin i'd have sent them to aleppo to perform at a mosque for the "rebels", then wait for them to beg to be locked up.

these three disgusting publicity whores deserve absolutely no sympathy.

they have more than abused their freedom of expression, they have trampled on other peoples civil rights and vandalized their property.

if that's not hooliganism, then what is?
0

funkymofoAug. 18, 2012 - 07:29PM JST

Mafia state.
1

Sir_EdgarAug. 18, 2012 - 07:31PM JST

Never seen them perform, but they deserve every right to say what they feel like. Russia is obviously still in the grips of Putin.
2

lucabrasiAug. 18, 2012 - 07:36PM JST

@ubikwit

they have trampled on other peoples civil rights

Do elaborate. Otherwise I'll be forced to draw unfavourable conclusions regarding this post and your good self in general.
3

LizzAug. 18, 2012 - 07:37PM JST

I wouldn't classify what they were doing much beyond disorderly conduct, trespassing and possible low level vandalism. Fine them. Fine them for misdemeanor charges and be done with it.
1

MadvertsAug. 18, 2012 - 08:08PM JST

"if that's not hooliganism, then what is?"

Indeed Comrade. Bring back the Gulags!
2

MadvertsAug. 18, 2012 - 08:10PM JST

I realize these girls actually only enjoy support outside of Russia, but 2 years in gaol is pretty draconian.
-3

ubikwitAug. 18, 2012 - 08:20PM JST

@lucabrasi

i posted the following links to youtube videos of this so-called band above in an early post above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZUhkWiiv7M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALS92big4TY

even if their hip-thrusting and gestures of fingering their "pussys" in an open stage on the street probably in front of children doesn't cross the lines of public decency, invading a cathedral and disrupting the worshiper, nuns and priests is simply criminal, as in violations of criminal statutes protecting private property, and of course the religion aspect of the facility being a church relates to civil rights. The church invasion thing would be a criminal offense in the USA, too.

Personally, I don't care if they protest Putin, so long as they are not making a mockery of what it is they presume to stand for, i.e., civil rights, etc.

I don't have anything against good punk rock (which is generally political) and have been to many a show, but this band is a bunch of agro female poseurs that hide behind masks because they have nothing interesting to say, and the sound they make does not impress.
-5

ubikwitAug. 18, 2012 - 08:51PM JST

for those of you who don't recall recent history, it should be pointed out that the freedom of religion in Russia is only something that has recently been brought about as a civil liberty after the transformation of the communist USSR.

it seems like these self-righteous publicity whores are trying to attack symbols of patriarchy, which is a rather passe feminist topoi that is rather beside the point with respect to the issues at hand. and their actions on the altar in the cathedral are simply appalling.

if they broke laws because they attacked what they thought were oppressive symbols of public power like hooligans, then why shouldn't they be thrown in jail. because they are weak females? because they are being oppressed by the patriarchy?

basically, they found a symbol to attack that they thought would gain them great notoriety, and they succeeded. the only problem in that is that they crossed the line, in fact several lines, defined in the law, some of which relate to civil rights.

sorry, but they are hypocrites in search of fame and fortune. and without the controversial political antics, they would not even be close to being regarded as musicians or artists.

ok, americans and europeans are saying that two years is a harsh sentence, and there is a high likelihood that it will be reduced or commuted to community service or something.

on the other hand, if they don't receive a harsh sentence, some copy-cat idiots are likely to follow in their wake.
1

my2senseAug. 18, 2012 - 09:18PM JST

The pictures are enough to make me go wtf...
0

MadvertsAug. 18, 2012 - 09:23PM JST

"The pictures are enough to make me go wtf..."

Tell me it was the bearded dude growling behind the cage that gave you the WTF symptoms...

:)
-1

ubikwitAug. 18, 2012 - 09:41PM JST

they did this in a church, you can see the nuns trying to stop the prank from being filmed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALS92big4TY

personally, i'm not a follower of the russian orthodox christian church, but the mock prayer ritual that these women perform in the video would seem to be simply bigoted and uncivil. it's a disgrace. and the leader has a degree in philosophy???

in the hyper religious usa, where people take their religion serious, invading a church and performing some pseudo ritual that mocks the religion of the church would not only be criminal trespassing and a violation of the civil rights of the people of that church, it would almost approach hate-crime status.

JT should also include a couple of pictures of the crime scene that got them locked up in the first place.
1

SerranoAug. 18, 2012 - 09:57PM JST

How about jailing Putin for life?
1

presto345Aug. 18, 2012 - 10:47PM JST

Not pretty what these girls did. But a prison term of two years is way over the top which makes it hard to forget the gulag.
-2

ubikwitAug. 19, 2012 - 12:34AM JST

Russian Orthodox church forgives punk band Pussy Riot

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-08-18/pussy-riot-russian-orthodox/57127796/1

One thing can be said for this incident is that it has opened up a vista or two onto Russian society not normally encountered in the media.
-1

OlegekAug. 19, 2012 - 01:14AM JST

funkymofo Mafia state.

No - you see these girls has broken the law

They go to prison

All goes well
-1

OlegekAug. 19, 2012 - 01:21AM JST

Madverts I realize these girls actually only enjoy support outside of Russia, but 2 years in gaol is pretty draconian.

You are right - support from outside ! But in Russia they going to spend a lot of time in jail !

Quite normal situation
1

AlanAug. 19, 2012 - 08:38AM JST

The Russian Orthodox church is a quasi-state religion. They support Putin and he reciprocates. That makes them a fair target for political protest. What these women did was certainly offensive, but all forms of protest are offensive to somebody. That's the point. It's certainly no reason to put them in jail. They didn't hurt anyone or break anything.

I see this a cynical ploy by Putin to improve his support among the young. At the height of the protest against the jail sentence he'll intervene and announce a pardon. Putin has intervened in the judicial process before. Russia still has a lot to learn about freedom of speech and the rule of law.
-1

ubikwitAug. 19, 2012 - 12:46PM JST

The Russian Orthodox church is a quasi-state religion. They support Putin and he reciprocates. That makes them a fair target for political protest.

Protesting is one thing, violating the civil right of freedom of religion another. They could have exercised their freedom of speech to protest without violating the churchgoers and nuns etc. freedom of religion.

Almost no Russians support these no imagination delusional publicity whores. On the other hand the majority of Russians support Putin. Your chain of reasoning holds that because Putin has become a follower of the Russian Orthodox church, and you don't like Putin's politics, you can violate the rights of the people that follow that religion as well as of the church itself. That is a pathological criminal mentality, and because there are people like you we have laws that protects civil rights.

Their acts were not simply offensive, but criminal. So you have nothing to tell the Russian court about the rule of law.
0

Sir_EdgarAug. 19, 2012 - 01:34PM JST

Putin is a dictator. He needs to go and let Russia become a real democracy.
-2

ubikwitAug. 19, 2012 - 02:10PM JST

you can take the communism out of the country, but you can't take the communism out of the pussy riot.

ha ha ha

this is just too much fun.

makes me wonder if this nonsense is bringing out the misogynist in me...
-1

ubikwitAug. 19, 2012 - 02:14PM JST

@Sir_Edgar

... let Russia become a real democracy

You mean like the USA, where members of secret society Skull & Bones that had infiltrated the court system facilitated the theft of a presidential election for one of their 3rd generation scions. Who then proceeded to launch a war for the military industrial complex on behalf of which he was serving as a frontman of their pyramid scheme?

Putin needs to continue to smack down the policies of frontmen cretins like GW Bush.
-2

OlegekAug. 19, 2012 - 02:27PM JST

Sir_Edgar Putin is a dictator. He needs to go and let Russia become a real democracy

Sorry - I can't understand what is the relationship between your post and the topic...
-2

OlegekAug. 19, 2012 - 02:54PM JST

presto345 Not pretty what these girls did. But a prison term of two years is way over the top which makes it hard to forget the gulag.

You are so young and pretty ...to remember the horrors of the gulag.....
1

AlanAug. 19, 2012 - 03:19PM JST

Ubikwit?

Protesting is one thing, violating the civil right of freedom of religion another. Ha. Tell that to Jews and Protestants in Russia.

Almost no Russians support these no imagination delusional publicity whores. Are you saying that freedom of speech should be limited to those who enjoy majority support? Today the secret police locked up the delusional publicity whores. Tomorrow they may come for you.

Putin as a private individual supporting the Russian Orthodox church is not a problem. Putin as President supporting them with the authority of the state is profoundly sinister. Also sinister is a politician, especially a head of state, making public comments about court cases with the aim of influencing the outcome. Putin has done that on several occasions, including this one.

That is a pathological criminal mentality, and because there are people like you we have laws that protects civil rights. I find your insulting comment more offensive than anything Pussy Riot did, but I defend absolutely (though perhaps not unto death!) your right to say it, because unlike you, I do believe in free speech.
-3

ubikwitAug. 19, 2012 - 05:15PM JST

Alan

Nothing personal, but you're accusations about Putin and the Russian Orthodox church vis-a-vis other religions in the country still amounts to throwing out the baby with the bath water, as it were.

If you have a gripe about separation of church and state because of Putin and the Orthodox church, you don't demonstrate a violation of your civil right to freedom of religion by violating the sanctity of a cathedral, desecrate their altar and mocking their religious service. If you don't want to characterize the though pattern justifying such a reaction as pathological, then how would you characterize it? If that logic leads someone to commit a crime then I what is offensive in calling it a criminal mentality?

And such acts do not fall under the rubric of free speech, no matter what every feminist sociopath in Europe says to the contrary.

I have not denied your freedom speech or anyone else's, and the fact that you find my comment more offensive than what those disgusting publicity whores did--trying to pass it off as free speech--is somewhat disturbing.

Those women deserved to be prosecuted.
0

SerranoAug. 19, 2012 - 07:49PM JST

"He needs to go"

He'll be around for a quite a while longer.
-2

ubikwitAug. 21, 2012 - 02:28AM JST

here are some links from an article in the atlantic,

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/08/manic-pixie-dream-dissidents-how-the-world-misunderstands-pussy-riot/261309/

which states:

You don't call your group Pussy Riot without trying to construct a gender identity. The description of the women as a punk band is inaccurate, the claim that they take cues from Riot Grrl culture is correct, and Pussy Riot seems to be designed with Western reception in mind. In Russian, Pussy Riot's name is the English words "Pussy Riot" written in Cyrllic, where they carry the same connotation. Sex was always part of their shock repertoire, from the band name to the penises drawn on bridges to the public orgies to the creative use of frozen chicken by one of the group's members. They courted controversy and were aware of the repercussions. "These women, and they alone in this mess, know exactly what they are doing," wrote Michael Idov, the editor-in-chief of GQ Russia, in the Guardian. Yet it is precisely this sense of agency missing from much of Pussy Riot coverage.

the leader of the group participates in a public orgy while pregnant... http://plucer.livejournal.com/55710.html

another one masturbates with a raw chicken in a grocery store... http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=aea_1343072683

they would seem to be quite the nihilistic bunch!
-3

ubikwitAug. 21, 2012 - 06:54PM JST

it would appear that these pornographic media whores would have landed themselves cells in an american jail long ago.

what a pathetic bunch of poor excuses for women.
0

presto345Oct. 01, 2012 - 06:52PM JST

The sentence is disproportionate.