Pussy Riot Found Guilty – Freedom of Speech Delivered a Blow
Russian band Pussy Riot, who did a political protest against the Russian Orthodox Church leader’s support of Russian President Vladimir Putin, have been found guilty of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” (via BBC). Musicians have spoken out worldwide about free speech and how they’ve used music to speak about politics, and rallied behind the punk band. The verdict is still being read out, with prosecutors seeking a three-year jail sentence. This is terrible news for free speech, especially in Russia. #freepussyriot
UPDATE: The band members will serve two years in jail, starting from the day of their arrest. The judge has ruled that they caused acts of blasphemy, not politics. There have been protests outside the court, with Russian chess legend, Garry Kasparov arrested, too. I personally wouldn’t mind seeing a boycott of bands touring Russia. Wait, do bands even tour Russia to begin with?!
The band members are Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23; Maria Alekhina, 24; and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29.
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