News has come about the release of PUSSY RIOT member, Yekaterina Samutsevich. The other two members Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova face two years hard labour in a Russian prison colony. It’s a bitter-sweet day for Pussy Riot and their supporters worldwide, but we’ll keep on supporting and spreading the word about the FREE PUSSY RIOT movement.
Release of Yekaterina Samutsevich prompts conspiracy theories as colleagues led away to complete two-year sentences
Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich walks free outside a court in Moscow. Photograph: Sergey Ponomarev/AP
For seven months, the world got to know Pussy Riot as three women defiantly smirking inside a glass cage as they issued a rare challenge toVladimir Putin and the justice system that serves him. On Wednesday, the trio was separated when a Moscow court set free Yekaterina Samutsevich, the oldest and quietest of the Pussy Riot three, while ordering her two bandmates to serve the rest of their two-year sentences in a Russian prison colony.
The two women who remain in jail, Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, smiled through light tears after hugging Samutsevich goodbye. They then placed their hands through an opening in the court’s glass cage, waiting for guards to cuff their wrists and lead them away. (more…)
Last Saturday 6 October a massive crowd of Byron Bay party makers dropped into the Great Northern Hotel for what was an amazing night of music, film and good vibrations. A big thank you goes out to all the bands who played at this special show; Fait Accompli, Pirates Alive, Mylee and the Milkshakes, Bec and Ben, The Deers. Special thanks to Tallow Gallery for premiering their amazing short film JOURNEY and The Great Northern for being a great venue. Also a big huge thanks to Willie, Kyle and Jodi for getting the word out around Byron Bay and making everything amazing.
Join us at the next FREE PUSSY RIOT event, LA FEMME an all girl gig, music and art show which takes place on Friday 26 October in Sydney. Music Lineup and Artist Lineup to be announced shortly. (A few spaces left for the art exhibition email: mysydneyriot@gmail.com) You don’t want to miss this.
In the mean time we just wanted to say THANK YOU BYRON BAY! for helping us spread awareness about the plight of our PUSSY RIOT sisters in Russia. You’re rad people who really know how to be free and have a good time. Keep on Rockin!
Politics seems to be the current language of choice for many creative groups lately. Sydney’s My Sydney Riot have been getting behind a lot of causes to date and very recently they have been engaged with the Free Pussy Riot worldwide movement. After releasing a 20 track music compilation, a drum event in Taylor Square and a packed out event at Flinders Hotel in Sydney a few weeks back, My Sydney Riot decided to bring the Free Pussy Riot party to the Great Northern, Byron Bay, one of the most exciting live venues in Australia.
On Saturday 6th October a special lineup of independent bands will come together for one night only; Fait Accompli (Syd), Pirates Alive (Gold Coast), Mylee and the Milkshakes (Syd), Bec and Ben (Syd) and locals The Deers.
Also featuring on the night will be the official debut screening of a short film by local Byron Bay label Tallow Gallery starring talented young up and coming surfer, Cloudy Rhodes. The film titled ‘Journey’ (preview above) sees Cloudy traverse through some epic landscapes from South Africa to Mozambique and Swaziland. This film ties in with the important message that women and all humans alike have every right to get out there and share their stories with the world, a right of passage which unfortunately still remains a rare concept in many societies, even in these modern times. This film is not to be missed.
So bring along your friends, dress colourful or bring a colourful balaclava and a smile and help us celebrate our right to freedom of speech, a right which wasn’t afforded to the three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot, Yekaterina Samutsevich, Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova who are currently serving two years jail for speaking our against their government.
Come out and dance Byron! FREE PUSSY RIOT!
XOX
Doors 8pm. Entry by gold coin donation (all funds go towards the Pussy Riot lawyer fund)
FACEBOOK EVENT HERE DOWNLOAD THE FREE ‘MY PUSSY RIOT’ COMPILATION HERE
There are a lot of women out there already rocking the mic on the scene right now, but we here at MSR HQ believe that Bec has what it takes to take the front woman status in Sydney band to the next level. Alongside her partner in crime, Ben (of Bec and Ben) well who knows what’s on the horizon? world fame? murder? a bank robbery? only time will tell.
Bec took a little time out from her busy schedule to answer a few questions. Oh and she and Ben i.e.; Bec and Ben are launching their debut ep on Friday at Brighton Up Bar, Sydney. So maybe you should go…
Where did you grow up? Bundaberg.
Was music in the family or did you pick it up somewhere? Between the womb and five, I was raised in a motel room above a pub that my mum and dad ran. Australian Pub Rock music naturally embedded my consciousness and my dad was a massive Midnight Oil fan, therefore, without consent, so too am I.
Can you recall one of your favourite early childhood memories? My parents claim the first time I ever danced was in my nappy, jumping on the bed to ‘Beds are Burning’ by Midnight Oil. My poppy was in the army and he taught me how to prepare a regimented Christmas pantomime, which I executed (for a gold coin donation) every year. I think that’s why my cousins hated me.
How did you meet Ben? Gum Tree.
Ben seems like a real gentleman at heart, give us a small insight into the real Ben… He is a gentleman most of the time, excluding these particular situations; problems with his amp/peddles, female fans that turn out to be lesbians (yay me!), when I speed up the tempo of the drums because I’m excited, or when Mickys on Oxford St is closed.
Did you always want to be in a band? No.
Does writers block exist? No.
If you weren’t making music what would you be doing? Blowing balloons and painting faces at kid’s birthday parties.
Where does the idea of a song come from for you? From my opinion.
What inspires you to remain creative? The possibility of having an office job. My mum; she’s super creative and inspires me to keep moving further into the unknown.
Which female artists have inspired you over the years? Joan Jett, Deborah Harry, Stevie Nicks, Alison Mosshart, Dolores O’Riordan, Shania Twain and The Spice Girls.
Here’s a little scenario, it’s the end of the world, they’re shipping out special humans to outer spas to start a new colony on Mars, you can only take 5 things… My mum, dad, brother, brother, sister. Are we meant to breed/re-produce? (re-submit this, if this is required)
Here’s another scenario, you’re stuck on island, any 3 songs for survival? ‘The Power’ by Snap!, ‘Message in a bottle’ by The Police and (if I happen to be stranded with a European underwear model) ‘Can’t get enough of your love’ by Barry White.
Here’s another scenario, you’re stuck on an island full of dingo’s… Become God!
What’s the best thing about being an independent artist right now? Learning new business, media, production and networking skills.
What would you change to make things better for independent artists in general? A Government Incentive Creative Rebate of $6,000 for anyone brave and talented enough to contribute their lives to improving the nations’ creative assets. They do that for babies don’t they?
What are your thoughts about the internet and downloading? I’m against piracy. Especially, film and music piracy. I hate it.
You have a brand new ep coming out ‘Butterknives to Razorblades’, how would you explain the process of making this record? The title is a good analogy of the entire experience, but lets just say we remove the word ‘Butterknives’ and replace it with ‘cheap’ and the word ‘Razorblades’ with ‘costly’. Worth it.
Which artist would you love most to play with? Jack White.
Favourite song right now? ‘Hey’ by the Pixies.
Name the best live gig you’ve seen to date. La Soiree. I fainted. For real.
Name the best gig you’ve played? Our warehouse party.
Are you a fan of the big festivals? or more intimate gigs? I love big, sweaty, all day festivals but to be honest, I’m just not attracted to them anymore. I went to Good Vibrations in Sydney, it put me off for life. Having said this, I’m excited for Peats Ridge this year. Anyone wanna pitch my tent?
You guys give off a lot of energy for a two piece, why this is so? Because I’m not really a drummer, I’m a frustrated woman with sticks, this means our live sets are always on the edge of disaster. This propels any frustration I have about my en-abilities into real tension energy. Also, I am a performer so, aside from the above, I am genuinely excited about being onstage.
What’s on the horizon for Bec and Ben? National RSL Tour.
Are you a movie buff or a book head? give us your current face’s… Moonrise Kingdom, Melancholia, Gummo, The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra.
Any recent life changing moments? Right now. This moment is life changing.
Cremation or Burial? Eternity
Any last words of wisdom? Contribute to an enlightened planetary civilisation; start by being nice to others and pick up your rubbish.
Here’s an inspiring interview by Pussy Riot from Jail.
FREE PUSSY RIOT!
They’ve become global heroes and foils to the macho rule of Vladimir Putin. But not even a two-year prison term can keep Russia’s celebrated punk band muzzled. Michael Idov smuggled a few questions into the grrrls’ gulag. Judging by their answers, the riot is just getting warmed up
Nadya Tolokonnikova enters the courtroom vowing resistance.
This year, Russia launched its first crossover pop stars since the days of Gorky Park—and it’s done so by throwing them in jail. Pussy Riot, a feminist punk collective that staged guerrilla performances all over Moscow (culminating in a “punk prayer” in a cathedral, which got three of its members arrested), showed up on every front page from Libération to the New York Post and single-handedly revived riot-grrrl chic. Meanwhile, the fate of the three prisoners—Nadezhda “Nadya” Tolokonnikova, Maria “Masha” Alyokhina, and Yekaterina “Katya” Samutsevich—became an international cause, championed by everyone from Madonna to David Cameron. Sentenced to two years each on the absurd charge of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred,” the “girls,” as everyone in Russia calls them, are getting by without the Internet, only vaguely aware of their global celebrity. GQ managed to correspond with them by slipping questions in with their lawyers. Katya’s answers got confiscated. Nadya’s and Masha’s follow.
GQ: What is your average day like now? How do you get the news from the outside? Masha: They have small, medium, and large cells here. We’re in three different small ones. Only the large cells have in-room showers; we get showers once a week. After 6 a.m., you’re not allowed to sleep under a blanket. Theoretically, until lights-out at 10 p.m., you’re not allowed to sleep at all, but in practice you can lie on top of the blanket and cover yourself with your coat. Nobody can explain why; the only answer you hear to any question is “That’s the rule” and “We keep to a regimen here.” Every day there’s an hour-long walk in a “yard,” which is a concrete box with two benches and a sliver of sky between a cement wall and a plastic roof. It’s all “Hug the wall” this and “Hands behind your back” that. They search our cells regularly and confiscate our drawings and notes. Why? “The rules.” Pretty much the only news we get is from federal TV channels. Only now do I realize the sheer amount of lies and censorship there. When you have the Internet, you don’t feel it as sharply. But once a week our lawyers bring us different news, words of support, and that helps a lot. (more…)
Our photographer was too sick to attend our last FREE PUSSY RIOT event. So after the party we put the word out to friends to send us your photos.
We are trying to put together a video collage about the local support for the Pussy Riot movement, so if you came out to Flinders Hotel or the Sydney Drum Riot and you took some video or photos, please send them to us. It will be much appreciated.
email: mysydneyriot@gmail.com
Anyway here are some Instagram’s (we borrowed from some of our friends) of the awesome DIE! DIE! DIE!
After our packed out event at Flinders Hotel in Sydney a few weeks back which featuring the most punk party lineup we’ve ever put together on a Wednesday, featuring NZ punk royalty DIE! DIE! DIE! and some of Sydney’s best current crop of punk vibration bands; FAIT ACCOMPLI, BLOODS, THE RUMINATERS, SWEET TEETH and BEC AND BEN, we decided to take the FREE PUSSY RIOT party to the North, yes that’s Byron Bay Y’all! Yes the Great Northern, one Australia’s most exciting live venues agreed to have us. Joining us on the night will be; FAIT ACCOMPLI (Syd), PIRATES ALIVE (Gold Coast), MYLEE AND THE MILKSHAKES (Syd), BEC AND BEN (Syd) and THE DEERS (Byron Bay), so yes we’re bringing a crazy party of good times to boot.
Also featuring on the night will be the special debut screening of a breathtaking short film by local Byron Bay label TALLOW GALLERY starring talented young up and coming surfer with punk attitude aplenty, Cloudy Rhodes. The film titled JOURNEY sees Cloudy traverse through some epic landscapes from South Africa to Mozambique and Swaziland. This film ties in with the important message that women and all humans alike have every right to get out there and share their stories with the world, a right of passage which unfortunately still remains a rare concept in many societies, even in these modern times. This film is not to be missed.
We can’t wait to get up there Byron Bay, so bring along your friends, dress colourful or bring a colourful balaclava and a smile and help us celebrate our right to freedom of speech, a right which wasn’t afforded to the three members of Russian punk band PUSSY RIOT, Yekaterina Samutsevich, Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova who are currently serving two years jail for speaking our against their government.
In support of the Worldwide FREE PUSSY RIOT Movement MY SYDNEY RIOT, TALLOW GALLERY and SAILOR JERRY presents…
MY PUSSY RIOT
FAIT ACCOMPLI
PIRATES ALIVE
MYLEE AND THE MILKSHAKES
BEC AND BEN
THE DEERS
Also the Premiere of the new TALLOW GALLERY film – JOURNEY
SATURDAY 6th OCTOBER
GREAT NORTHERN, Byron Bay
35 – 43 Jonson St, Byron Bay
Doors 8pm. Entry by gold coin donation – all funds raised will go towards the Pussy Riot Lawyer Fund
IMPORTANT NOTE: We want people to know that our support of the FREE PUSSY RIOT movement is for peaceful and creative purposes only. Our goal is to inspire friends to speak out using creativity as a positive force to create change through music and art. The sponsors and supporters who come on board don’t support us as a marketing ploy, instead we have all felt a natural human urge to come together and give our time freely as we stand side by side in solidarity to support our jailed sisters PUSSY RIOT and stand up for our god given right to Freedom of Speech. Nothing more and nothing less.
In our endless quest to drop bombs we present you with our latest artist of the Month, drum roll….. it’s two piece punk pop punk outfit BEC AND BEN. This two piece blew onto our radar a few months back on a cold winters night at one of our Thursday weekly RESIDENTS shows at Bucklers Canteen, Bondi. Anyway it wasn’t long till we realised that this duo was somethin pretty special. Fast forward to right now and well we’re not gonna say that the rest is history, but to us these guys could be some serious rock n’ roll history in the making. They make a lot of noise for a two piece and they definitely give THE KILLS a run for their money, purely because BEC bangs real drums standing up while singin, Amazing!
So tune in over the coming weeks as we try our best to tell you the story of BEC AND BEN and if we succeed in doing that then maybe you’ll all come along to their record launch at BRIGHTON UP BAR on Friday 28th September. Good deal right?
For now here’s their new tune off their debut EP BUTTERKNIVES TO RAZORBLADES for you to enjoy for free!
Thanks to the following bands; DIE! DIE! DIE!, FAIT ACCOMPLI, BLOODS, THE RUMINATERS, SWEET TEETH and BEC AND BEN for giving your time and playing amazing live sets on Wednesday night. A big thanks to Flinders Hotel in Surry Hills for helping us pull this party together with 5 days notice. And a big huge thanks to all you cool cats who came out on a chilly Wednesday night and packed out the Flinders with all your smiles and good vibrations. Your gold coin donations helped us raise $315.30 which will go towards the FREE PUSSY RIOT lawyer fund.
We’re inviting you all to come out on Wednesday night and help us celebrate or right to freedom of speech and to keep up the momentum for the PUSSY RIOT movement in Sydney.
So step away from your TV (the worst night for tv anyways), your facebook, change your plans and join us for one night of Punk Rock and Roll.
MY SYDNEY RIOT w- support from SAILOR JERRY presents… PUNK ROCK IS NOT DEAD! FREE PUSSY RIOT! A CELEBRATION OF OUR RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH!
Featuring;
DIE! DIE! DIE!
FAIT ACCOMPLI
BLOODS
THE RUMINATERS
SWEET TEETH
BEC AND BEN
PUSSY RIOT DRUMMERS
CHICKS WHO LOVE GUNS DJ’S
& SPECIAL GUESTS
Gold coin donation! Doors 7pm!
Tell your friends! This show is going to be special. You don’t want to miss it!
Dear Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich,
The last few days have been very emotional for us here at MSR HQ and we have felt a great deal of sadness for what the outcome is for PUSSY RIOT. We did the best that we could from our end of the world and unfortunately the powers that are right now bigger than all of us have taken a stand for what they believe in and now you have to serve 2 years hard labour and that really sucks man. It just saddens us to know that freedom of speech comes at a heavy price in your Country Russia and unfortunately you are the ones who are paying that price.
We here at MY SYDNEY RIOT will be doing all we can with our friends from all over Australia to spread awareness about PUSSY RIOT over the coming days, months and even years if we have to, so strengthen your resolve and know that the power of the people is growing too here in our own Country. We are all feeling inspired and for some reason what has happened to you has awoken many of us from a creative black hole and we hope that we can get out there and live a little more than how we have in the past.
We’ll be organising more shows, art shows and we’ll be playing drums where we can when we can. We are all highly creative here in our town and through connecting with our friends we’ll be sending out a message to the world and it’s not one of hate or anger, but our message is that “FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS A RIGHT TO ALL!
In the mean time here’s a few activities we got up to in celebration of PUSSY RIOT. We hope you ladies will enjoy listening, watching and learning about us, your punk rock brothers and sisters from Australia.
If you don’t get to see what we have done, we just want you to know that we are with you all the way, in spirit. Be strong!
Peace and Love,
MY SYDNEY RIOT crew and all PUSSY RIOT supporters from Australia
Our Music Community have come together with this special message of support for PUSSY RIOT in the form of a Music Compilation. We hope you ladies get this and rock out where you are!
We dedicate this record to the struggle of PUSSY RIOT and anyone out there who is struggling with human rights and freedom of speech worldwide.
Thanks to all the amazing bands who’ve given up their music for such an amazing cause.
To celebrate the launch of MY PUSSY RIOT tune into FBi Radio this morning from 7.30am where we’ll be talking with Sally Knight talking all things PUSSY RIOT and SYDNEY DRUM RIOT.
ATTENTION ALL DRUMMERS!
ATTENTION ALL PUSSY LOVERS!
ATTENTION ALL MUSIC LOVERS!
FRIDAY 17 AUGUST 2012 IS PUSSY RIOT GLOBAL DAY!
This is also the day when sentencing will be handed for three members of Russian Punk band PUSSY RIOT. Their crime was a video performance of their protest song ‘Punk Prayer’ inside a church. The video went viral. They are facing three – seven years jail.We invite you all to join us at TAYLOR SQUARE, Darlinghurst from 4pm this Friday for SYDNEY DRUM RIOT! FOR PUSSY RIOT!
So join us Sydney, share this event with any of your music loving friends. Wear a Balaclava, bring a Drum, bring anything to bang on.
So lets rock out some positive beat of the drum and spread the love for PUSSY RIOT!
Moscow’s Khamovnichesky District Court will hand down a sentence on three members of the Pussy Riot feminist punk band accused of disorderly conduct at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on August 17.
The defendants made their last pleas on Wednesday, and Judge Marina Syrova presiding over the hearings retired for handing down a ruling on the case. Prosecutors asked the court to sentence the three women to three years in prison each on Tuesday.
If you Google FREE PUSSY RIOT, it is pretty clear that one of the most organic revolutions is taking place right now on planet earth. Not a guilt ridden plea for people to open their hearts and wallets, but a creative revolution full of so much colour which can definitely be attributed to the power of music and art. In a very short amount of time some of the most respected people in music today have come out and raised their voices in support of the FREE PUSSY RIOT! Campaign.
Maybe the answer to world peace really does lie within music and art? How will this go down with Governments when they eventually realise that fear and war really is not the answer? It’s something that may actually never happen, but we all live in hope.
So while all this is going on and people are getting behind this cause, our question is “SYDNEY! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?”
Ok we know you’re getting ready right? More info for your involvement is coming, but for now feel free to write the following words where ever you can “FREE PUSSY RIOT!” and post it up on the internets!
For those who are yet to be convinced, take some inspiration from the following artists below…
150 people gather in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg for a ‘Free Pussy Riot’ Protest video. The event was organized by Berlin-living Canadian electro-punk artist Peaches. The participants wore multicolored masks and demanded freedom for PUSSY RIOT!
A message from Yoko Ono to Putin!
Mr. Putin, you are a wise man.
You don’t need to fight with musicians and their friends.
Please FREE PUSSY RIOT! And keep space in the prison for serious criminals.
Madonna supports PUSSY RIOT with a 5 minute speech during her show in Moscow.
Even Anthony Keidis of Red Hot Chili Peppers came out on a few occasions in support of PUSSY RIOT!
Mike Patton from Fait No More Reprazents at a recent show in Russia!
Anarchic punk band Damn Terran give it up for the PUSSY RIOT at one of their shows in their home town of Melbourne, Australia!
The legendary Patti Smith speaking out at on of her recent concerts!
Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova arrives at court
Some pretty crazy scenarios seem to have taken place over night with Mr Putin giving out some pretty backflipped answers to the media while visiting the London Olympics this week.
“There is nothing good in what they did,” news agencies quoted Mr Putin as saying in reference to the three Pussy Riot members
“Nevertheless, I do not think that they should be judged too severely for this.”
He also said he hoped the Pussy Riot members “will draw their own conclusions” and learn from their mistakes.
“It is the court that issues the final ruling,” he said.
There has been a massive onslaught of international exposure of this grass-roots campaign due to the support of actors and musicians like Peter Gabrielle, Stephen Fry, Sting, Patti Smith, Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Anti Flag, Amnesty International and the community at large. It seems like the power of the people does hold strength somewhere out there in the world, but still, we’ll just have to wait and see.
As a human being living in Sydney, you feel a little helpless about this situation which is going on in Russia. This article which was written by Carole Cadwalladrfor THE GUARDIAN gives a clear insight into the struggle that PUSSY RIOT are facing. And if you get through to the end, we are pretty sure you’ll feel inspired.
Yes we are living in the Lucky Country, but this struggle is a big wake up call to us all. Questions like “What are we all really doing out here?” come to mind. Are we really just going to walk through life and just pay our bills and taxes and be done with it? Or do we want to affect some kind of positive and creative change in our society? in our life time? We surely do hope so! Yes! we’re not in Russia, but at times we are prisoners to our own minds, stuck on Facebook feeds, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, a constant barrage of pointless messages. So maybe in a strange way this is what we’ve all been waiting for? A Revolution! be it a creative revolution?
Pussy Riot on Putin, ‘punk prayers’ and superheroes – video: Khristina Narizhnaya Link to this video
The feminist collective hit the headlines when three members were arrested after an anti-Putin protest. Now they face up to seven years in jail, a prospect that has shocked and radicalised many Russians. On the eve of their trial, some of the women speak exclusively
For two very full, very long days in Moscow, I have talked constantly to people about Pussy Riot. About how, back in February, three young women from a feminist punk-rock band sang a song in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. How they were arrested, imprisoned, refused bail, and now face up to seven years in jail. How the orders for this seem to have come right from the very top of the Russian government. And how their trial – starting tomorrow – seems certain to become a defining moment in Putin’s political career.
It is, many people say (practically everybody, in fact), a moment whenRussia‘s future is, in some as yet undetermined way, being decided.
At 9pm on Thursday night, I’m at a rally of a couple of thousand anti-government protesters, hearing Pussy Riot’s name being chanted in the crowd, and I think I have a grasp of the story. It’s an astonishing tale of how three young women have brought Putin his biggest political headache yet. A story about art versus power. Of civil society versus church and state. Or as one film-maker who’s documenting it says, “punks versus Putin”. (He goes on to say, “It’s Crime and Punishment, basically, but there’s also a band in jail so it’s a bit like The Monkees. Or a really warped Beatles film.”) (more…)
Members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot Maria Alyokhina, left, Yekaterina Samutsevich, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova,right, watch their trial from behind bars in a Moscow court. Source: AP
ONE of the members of an all-girl punk band who performed a song against Russian President Vladimir Putin in a landmark Moscow church has required medical attention during their high-profile trial.
Court officials and lawyers said the third day of witness testimony was interrupted and medics called in when one of the young women collapsed after the group complained of a lack of food and sleep during the trial.
“Maria Alyokhina suffered a severe drop in blood sugar levels this morning. This is linked to the fact that she is a vegan,” defence attorney Nikolai Polozov told journalists after three ambulances arrived at the court.
“All three ambulances were called for her. They gave her the necessary injections.”
As the women were taken into court in handcuffs for the hearings to resume, Alyokhina told journalists that she felt “all right.”
The defence lawyers have repeatedly complained to the judge that the women are being woken up at 5.00am at their detention centre to attend the closely watched hearings and are not fed for periods of more than 12 hours.
“They are brought back to their temporary detention centre after midnight, are left without dinner and can only get a few hours of sleep,” Mr Polozov told the Interfax news agency.
Alyokhina told the court on Monday evening that “my head is spinning,” as the hearing went on to almost 10pm.
The three women – who face up to seven years in jail if found guilty of hooliganism – testified on Monday that they had wanted to change Russia with their action but could have made an “ethical” mistake by offending worshippers.
The controversial case has won them supporters among major Western stars including pop icon Sting and writer and comedian Stephen Fry and was condemned on Tuesday by the US State Department.
They were arrested in March and charged with hooliganism motivated by religious hatred of Orthodox believers in a case highlighting the powerful Church’s growing dominance under Mr Putin’s 12-year rule.
Russian Orthodox Church leaders have demanded strict punishment of the band members’ actions and have been backed in their condemnation by leading members of the country’s political elite.
Please take two minutes out from your day and click on the image below to sign this petition.
The three girls who have been arrested are members of Russian punk rock band ‘PUSSY RIOT’. So they are just like any one of us out here, with hopes and dreams for a better future, the difference is they were arrested and may face 7 years imprisonment for expressing their political beliefs. We all know that we have an amazing freedom to do what ever we like here in Australia, this freedom that we take for granted may be taken away from these girls for a long time. It will only take you a couple of minutes. Thanks!
There are a lot of women out there already rocking the mic on the scene right now, but we here at MSR HQ believe that Bec has what it takes to take the front woman status in Sydney band to the next level. Alongside her partner in crime, Ben (of Bec and Ben) well who knows what’s on the horizon? world fame? murder? a bank robbery? only time will tell.
