Pussy Riot found guilty, sentenced to two years in prison

In Vladmir Putin’s Russia, a peaceful and legitimate act of civil disobedience earns you two years in prison. That’s the sentence a Russian court just imposed on three members of the Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot. Judge Marina Sirovaya found Maria Alyokhina, 24, Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, guilty of “hooliganism” earlier today.

The trial was a sham. The harsh sentence is emblematic of Russia’s intolerance of dissent, human rights and basic freedoms. Hooliganism motivated by religious hatred? Please! The three women performed an anti-Putin political protest song on the altar of Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral. The real reason behind their persecution is in the their punk prayer. Here are the lyrics, taken from the website freepussyriot.org:

Punk-Prayer “Virgin Mary, Put Putin Away” 

(choir)

Virgin Mary, Mother of God, put Putin away

Рut 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

Рut Putin away, put Putin away

(end chorus)

Pussy Riot touched Putin’s raw nerve. That of the Russian Orthodox church too. Period.

But the trial has also highlights the stark contrast between the progressives fighting Putin’s dictatorship, and the president’s supporters, who are steeped in religious and conservative ideals. For example, the evidence against Pussy Riot includes “how they ‘engaged in homosexual propaganda,’ were ‘motivated by religious enmity and hatred,’ behaved ‘provocatively,’ and that their clothing was not acceptable.” That’s Jezebel’s take.

Pussy Riot has spoken to the world. The world now understands Putin’s Russia better than it did yesterday. Human Rights Watch has soundly condemned the verdict, calling it “inappropriate and disproportionate”.  ”The charges and verdict against the Pussy Riot band members distort both the facts and the law,” said the organization’s spokesperson, Hugh Williamson. “These women should never have been charged with a hate crime and should be released immediately.”

I doubt that the Kremlin will change its mind. Still, we must continue to stand stand side by side with Pussy Riot. We must act. Supporters around the world have designated today, August 17, the Pussy Riot Global Day of action. Solidarity actions are taking place in at least 60 countries. Please sign the Tell Russia To Release Pussy Riot! petition by Amnesty International. You can also follow The Guardian’s live blog.

Photo credits: freepussyriot.org