Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi
Three young Russian female punk musicians, members of a Russian feminist punk-rock collective the Pussy Riot, were arrested March 6 after a performance on the altar of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, February 21, 2012. Two weeks before March’s presidential vote, in which they asked Mother Mary to deliver Russia from Putin’s third presidential term. Maria Alyokhina (24), Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (23) and Yekaterina Samutsevich (29) performed a punk public prayer and an anti-Putin song “The Virgin, Putin banish.” They are accused by the authorities of “hooliganism.” The three women were totally aware of their action and knew that public protests carried serious risks in Russia.
The lyrics (taken from the video below)
The virgin, Devo, Putin banish
Putin banish, Putin banish
(chorus end)
Black cassock, gold shoulder straps
All parishioners creep on bows
Freedom ghost in heavens
The gay pride is sent to Siberia in shackles
Head of KGB, their main sacred
Conducts protesting in a pre-trial detention center under an escort
That the Holy not to offend
Women need to give birth and love
Holy shit the Lord God, Holy shit the Lord God,
Holy shit the Lord God, Holy shit the Lord God
(Chorus)
The virgin, Devo, become the feminist
Become the feminist, the feminist become
(chorus end)
Church praise rotted through leaders
Religious procession from black limousines
The preacher gathers to school to you
Go on a lesson – bring to it money!
Patriarch Gundyay believes in Putin
Better in God, the bitch, trusted
The belt of the maiden won’t replace meetings –
On Prisnodev’s protests with us Maria!
(Chorus)
The virgin, Devo, Putin banish
Putin banish, Putin banish
(chorus end)
Since March these young punk rockers have been in custody. Last Friday the custody was extended to January next year. Another six months! Accused not only accused of hooliganism, but also of blasphemy, religious hatred and terrorism. They could be sentenced to seven years in prison.
Their prosecution has caused public outcry and protests from rights groups in Russia. Amnesty International considers the three women to be prisoners of conscience “detained solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs.” International famous voices, such as Sting’s, who’s on a concert tour in Russia this week, has also condemned the treatment of the three rockers. I guess the next people who should speak out are: Johnny Rotton, Madonna, Mohamed Ali, and many others.
Of course DooBeeDoo is standing behind the Pussy Riot music activists and hopes the best for them. And it’s great to see that the Pussy Riot proved that music is still an important platform for self-expression and a proper tool to agitate against any kind of oppression.
