[Shaun]

On March 3, 2012 Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, two alleged members of Pussy Riot, were arrested by Russian authorities and accused of hooliganism. Both women at first denied being members of the group and started a hunger strike in protest against being held in jail away from their young children until their case came to trial in April. On March 16 another woman, Ekaterina Samoutsevitch, who had earlier been questioned as a witness in this case, was similarly arrested and charged.

On June 4, the group was presented with formal charges on an indictment 2,800 pages long. On July 4 they were suddenly informed that they would have to finish preparing their defense by July 9. They announced a hunger strike in response, saying that two working days was inadequate time for preparations for a trial defense. On July 21 the court extended their pre-trial detention by another six months.

The three detained members of Pussy Riot are recognized as political prisoners by the Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners (SPP). Amnesty International named them prisoners of conscience due to "the severity of the response of the Russian authorities".

Some prominently expressed opinions in Russia have been much harsher. Speaking at a liturgy in Moscow’s Deposition of the Robe Church on March 21, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill I condemned Pussy Riot’s actions as "blasphemous", saying that the "Devil has laughed at all of us ... We have no future if we allow mocking in front of great shrines, and if some see such mocking as some sort of valour, as an expression of political protest, as an acceptable action or a harmless joke." Singer Alla Pugachyova appealed on the women's behalf, stating that they should be ordered to perform community service rather than be imprisoned. According to BBC correspondent Daniel Sandford, "Their treatment has caused deep disquiet among many Russians, who feel the women are – to coin a phrase from the 1967 trial of members of the rock band The Rolling Stones – butterflies being broken on a wheel."

By late June 2012, growing disquiet over the trio’s detention without setting a trial date and concern over what was regarded as excessive and arbitrary treatment, led to the drawing up of an open letter. It was signed by leading oppositional figures as well as director Fyodor Bondarchuk, a supporter of Putin, and actors Chulpan Khamatova and Yevgeny Mironov, both of whom had appeared in videos for Putin’s re-election campaign. Nikita Mikhalkov, head of the Russian Cinematographers' Union, stated in an interview that he would gladly sign an open letter against them.

In July 2012, sociologist Alek D. Epstein published a compilation of artistic works by various Russian artists entitled “Art on the barricades: Pussy Riot, the Bus Exhibit and the protest art-activism” in support of the trio.

The trial of the three women started in Moscow's Khamovniki, or Khamovnichesky, District Court on July 30. Charged with "premeditated hooliganism performed by organized group of people motivated by religious hatred or hostility", they face possible sentences of up to seven years imprisonment. In early July, a poll conducted in Moscow found that half of the respondents oppose the trial while 36 percent support it; the rest being undecided. The defendants pleaded not guilty, insisting that they had not meant their protest to be offensive. On July 31, The Financial Times published an editorial saying the women had become "an international cause célèbre" due to the harsh treatment they have received.

The defendants
Maria Alyokhina, a 4th year student at the Institute of Journalism and Creative Writing in Moscow, has a history as a humanitarian volunteer and environmental activist with Greenpeace Russia. She is 24 and has one young child. She played an active role in the trial: cross-examining witnesses and aggressively questioning the nature of the charges and proceeding.
Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, is a computer programmer interested in LGBT issues. She is a graduate of the Rodchenko School of Photography and Multimedia in Moscow. Court sessions were attended by her grandfather Stanislav Samutsevich.
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, is a philosophy student at Moscow State University with a history of political activism with the street-art group Voina. She is married to Pyotr Verzilov and has a 4 year old daughter.

International support
The accused have received support from foreign musicians such as Kate Nash, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Cornershop, Faith No More, Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand, Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, Patti Smith, The Beastie Boys, Zola Jesus, Die Antwoord, Jarvis Cocker, Pete Townshend, The Joy Formidable, Peaches, Madonna, Genesis, Tegan and Sara, Johnny Marr, Iiro Rantala, Propagandhi, Anti-Flag, Corinne Bailey Rae, Kathleen Hanna, and Yoko Ono. British comedian Stephen Fry also tweeted his support for the group.

121 members of the German parliament, the Bundestag, sent a letter to the Russian Ambassador to Germany, Vladimir Grinin, in support of the three jailed members. The letter referred to proceedings against the women as being disproportionate and draconian. On August 9, 2012, 400 Pussy Riot supporters in Berlin marched wearing colored balaclavas in a show of support for the group

And if you needed confirmation that Scandinavia > the rest of the world:

Iceland Review reports that during this weekend's Gay Pride Parade in Reykjavík, the capital's mayor, Jón Gnarr, dressed up as a member of jailed feminist Russian punk collective Pussy Riot on a float, accompanied by a banner that reads "Free Pussy Riot". (Gnarr isn't the first Icelandic citizen of repute to express public support for Pussy Riot in the last few days; Björk issued a statement of her own yesterday):

"as a musician and a mother i would like to express i fiercely dont agree with them being put to jail because of their peaceful protest performance . they are currently standing trial and facing seven years in prison for this… in my opinion the russian authorities should let them go home to their families and children… i would like to invite pussy riot to join me in a particular song on stage : which was written for all enhancement of justice ( you can guess : once , which one )"

Frightening, deplorable behaviour from one of the world's most unsurprising and repeated abusers of human rights. **** Russia's government. **** it up the ass.

[Mrluvaluva]

If Madonna calls I'm not here.

[Marc]

They're lovely

[Tom4784]

The Russian Government is incredibly backwards and it surprises me that the EU hasn't imposed any sanctions on them for they have a history of abuse of Human Rights. I feel sorry for it's citizens.

[Niall]

Björk inviting them to perform Declare Independence with her aw

But no it is disgusting what they've had done to them, especially the cited reasons for it. It makes me wonder whether Russia will actually act like a true democracy for once. Its sad.

[Shaun]

The three long-detained members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot have been found guilty of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred," following a five-month case in Moscow that had become both controversial and inspiring around the world.

The verdict is still being read; the sentencing is yet to be announced. A number of people have been arrested outside of the courtroom, including chess champion-turned-political activist Gary Kasparov, according to the Guardian, who are live-blogging the verdict.

Pussy Riot were jailed in March on grounds of "hooliganism," after a February 21 flash-performance at Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral, wherein the group shouted an anti-Putin "punk prayer".

Amnesty International declared Pussy Riot "prisoners of conscience" and noted they faced the danger of being sent to labor camps where they would be at risk of physical and sexual abuse.

This is what they've been sentenced for:

Youtube video

[Shaun]

(translation):

(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)

[MTVN]

I was reading yesterday that less than 1% of cases that go to court in Russia end in not guilty verdicts and there was even less chance of that happening here, they'll probably get 2 or 3 years

[Mrluvaluva]

I doubt they got a fair trial. The verdict was always going to be the same. They had no chance. Total abuse of power. Corruption at its worse.

[arista]

they are saying they may get 7 years?

seems wrong but typical for Putin

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by arista

they are saying they may get 7 years?

seems wrong but typical for Putin

Apparently that was a possibility but the prosecution are pushing more for a sentence of about 3 years, Putin said the other day they should not be judged too harshly or something

[MTVN]

They've each been sentenced to 2 years

[Tom4784]

It's disgusting, The government is corrupt and I don't know why they are allowed to get away with such abuse of Human Rights.

[Iceman]

Kate Nash has condemned the decision to jail Russian punk band Pussy Riot.

Earlier today (August 17), Maria Alekhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were found guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred after performing a song mocking Russian president Vladimir Putin on the altar of an Orthodox cathedral.

"I feel really sad, but I think people expected the verdict to be guilty," Nash told the BBC. "I think it's important for artists to be opinionated and it just seems messed up to me that you do that and then you are shut down.

"I am an opinionated person and I want to challenge the world I live in and challenge the government if I don't agree with them.

"It's just terrible, the way they've been treated throughout the trial. It's disgusting and it says a lot of sad things about this world we live in. It's really messed up and really twisted."

Nash has since vowed to keep fighting for the release of Pussy Riot on Twitter, calling for David Cameron to visit the Russian embassy with her tomorrow to put pressure on politicians.

Sir Paul McCartney, Madonna, Sting, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bjork and Franz Ferdinand have also expressed support for Pussy Riot.

Bet he wont go though.

[Novo]

Putin always gets the last laugh

[Harry!]

I have been following this case closely and it is a tragedy that the girls today were sentenced to prison. Russia does not understand the right to freedom of speech and this case exposes the corruption in Russia today. Russia is not a truly democratic country, also today it was announced that Moscow has now banned Gay Pride marches for the next hundred years. Where is the right to voice your own opinion? I hope that international pressure forces the government to let the girls free. I am glad that they received a small sentence, the maximum sentence was 7 years. I know Madonna made an explicit stand at her Moscow show weeks ago, I hope she will say something in her next show.

[Mrluvaluva]

We should have locked up The Sex Pistols all those years ago too. This is absolutely pathetic. Incarcerate them for bruising someone's ego! Fuc.king pathetic.

[Shaun]

Pussy Riot To Go Free: About time — Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced today that the three imprisoned members of Pussy Riot will be freed, saying further time behind bars would be “unproductive.”

The band members’ case comes up for appeal October 1.

The women already had spent more than five months in jail when they were convicted in August of “hooliganism driven by religious hatred” and sentenced to two years in prison.

[King Gizzard]

Originally Posted by Harry!

I have been following this case closely and it is a tragedy that the girls today were sentenced to prison. Russia does not understand the right to freedom of speech and this case exposes the corruption in Russia today. Russia is not a truly democratic country, also today it was announced that Moscow has now banned Gay Pride marches for the next hundred years. Where is the right to voice your own opinion? I hope that international pressure forces the government to let the girls free. I am glad that they received a small sentence, the maximum sentence was 7 years. I know Madonna made an explicit stand at her Moscow show weeks ago, I hope she will say something in her next show.

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Did he not say they 'should be freed'? Or will they be let go on Oct 1?