BBC News - Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot have been jailed for two years after staging an anti-Vladimir Putin protest in a Moscow cathedral. Judge Marina Syrova convicted the women of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, saying they had "crudely undermined social order". The women say the protest, in February, was directed at the Russian Orthodox Church leader's support for Mr Putin. ----------- Interesting that recently the representative of church in Moscow claimed that this protest in the church was started by powers working for Putin....
Andrei Kuraev believes that the prison term for participating Pussy Riot turn them into Vera Zasulich - Russia News
I've been involved in a few pussy riots in my day...Thankfully, no jail. It was a riot /good time\ though.
I have little simpathy for protesters that try to get attention by doing outrageous things in churches, you don't fight for freedom by not respecting other people's beliefs. Still 2 years looks definetly like heavy handed overreaction, this is one instance where the judge needed to be creative and "fit the punishment to the crime" better but I doubt the Russian system left him/her enough leeway to be flexible even if he wanted to do it. EDIT: Read Kai-Peri's link and it seems I'm not the only one to think so ......
Basically I do agree, but... The Russian church itself is part of the politics in Russia and openly pro-Putin (the ex-head of the FSB/KGB) - especially it's leader Patriarch Kirill. Therefor I'm not against this protest.
