Photo courtey of AlterNet

The band members were released several hours later without being charged of anything.

February 18, 2014  |    The two members of the Russian band Pussy Riot who shot to fame after being arrested and thrown in jail in 2012 were detained again today during the Sochi Olympics. Russian authorities say Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina were detained in connection with a theft at the hotel where they were staying, though defenders of the band dismissed that claim, saying it was just a pretext. READ MORE»

Pussy Riot another photo shoot by Vanya Berezkin (2012)

By trichordist

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Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

What I expected really happened yesterday. The Punk girls got their verdict, which they expected, because they knew what they were doing. As I said before: the Punk band members Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich were totally aware of their action and knew that public protests carried serious risks in Russia. They’re fortunate that they received support from outside and inside of Russia.

A quote from Tolokonnikova’s husband, Pyotr Verzilov”Whatever Putin wants, Putin gets. That is the only thing to say.”

I’m sure the story of this three women hasn’t finished yet. It’s the beginning of a movement without a name. The women proved that Russian (young) women have a voice which speaks for many people oppressed Russians: women and also men. I’m sure that they won’t stay in prison for a long time.

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Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

I still don’t know what’s going to happen with the Pussy Riot women. Madonna and Sting did their best to get them out of jail. I hope that Yekaterina Samutsevich ‘s official statement, who’s a member of the band, clears things up in Russia. They are accused not only of hooliganism, but also of blasphemy, religious hatred and terrorism. They could be sentenced to seven years in prison. I disagree with those accusations and believe they just did, what any Russian would do, who is progressive political conscious. All the young three women are concerned about their country and use music as a media to spread out their message. They had the courage to speak out and knew that public protests carried serious risks in Russia. I wish the best for them.

If you don’t know anything about the Pussy Riot, please read my post about them here.

Text from the Russian blog http://olenskae.tumblr.com/ or http://olenskae.tumblr.com/post/29137327674/yekaterina-samutsevich-closing-statement-at-the-pussy

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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

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