As hardly anyone could have expected otherwise, a harsh verdict was handed down today in the trial concerning the performance of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, and Yekaterina Samutsevich were sentenced to two years in a penal colony for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, claiming they deeply offended believers. This is, of course, a pretext, as the performance was intended not to protest against the church, but against the head of state, Vladimir Putin.
The defenders of the three women have already announced their intention to appeal this verdict. Just hours after the conviction, the other members of the band released the new single "Putin Lights Up The Fires." The video published by the British Guardian features some footage from the action and the subsequent events: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yjmnE1VwoA.
However, the average tabloid reader seems less interested in the music or even the political thought behind all this action. Instead, there is a search online for naked facts about the admittedly attractive girls. Of course, Pussy also encourages the association of the band name with terms like "sex," "orgy," "group sex," or similar. Those who are truly interested in Pussy Riot and want to support them can find the first point of contact at www.freepussyriot.org.
