Freedom Wanted for Pussy Riot

Feminists and Rhythms of Resistance Group held an action in front of Russian Consulate in Istanbul for solidarity with three members of Pussy Riot feminist punk collective who were arrested in Russia.

The protesters came in front of the consulate with their masks and snare drums and requested freedom for Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutcevich. Maria, Nadezha and Ekaterina, who had been protesting Putin through spontaneous actions with their masks and dissenting songs, were arrested after their last performance in church. Their first trial took place on 19th of April and they are still arrested and facing up to seven years of criminal punishment.

If members of Pussy Riot weren't arrested, they would join to Feministival, which is a non-profit do-it yourself feminist festival, organized by independent women and trans individuals from İstanbul. The festival will be held on May 3-5, 2012.

The press release contained the following statements:

"Members of Pussy Riots are arrested because they criticized autocratic Putin"

"What does Pussy Riot do? They make spontaneous actions; they sing dissenting songs with their guitars and they irritate despotic people and expose their dirty faces. Now Maria, Nadezhda ve Ekaterina are facing up to seven years of criminal punishment."

"There are solidarity actions for Pussy Riot all over the world. Because Pussy Riot is at everywhere, Pussy Riot is here."

"We are raising our voice against Russian government who tries to repress all the dissenting voices like Pussy Riot and works to intimidate and arrest LGBT community and supporters of LGBT rights in Russia.We do not accept Pussy Riot's members' detention and we do not accept the new legal regulations of Russian Government against LGBT individuals, the violations of rights and detentions of LGBT people in Russia. We want Russian Government to cancel the new anti-LGBT regulations and laws, and release Pussy Riot members as soon as possible".

After the statements, a woman Russian activist gave "Freedom for Pussy Riot" message in Russian.

What had happened?

Feminist punk action band Pussy Riot was established on October 2011 and sang a "punk prayer" having "Virgin Mary, Become Feminist / Virgin Mary, Hash Putin Away" chorus in a cathedral at Moscow. The action could last just a few minutes and the group members were led out by security. They downloaded an action video to Internet on the same day and 600.000 people watched the video in one day. Within a few days the Russian Orthodox Church sued Pussy Riot with "hooliganism" accusation and asked up to seven years of imprisonment. Terror Department took over the case. Orthodox activists shared the names of the group members on Internet. A campaign against Pussy Riot members began in the media. The environmental activist Alyokhina and civil rights activist Tolokonnikova got arrested on March 4, 2012; Samutcevich, who witnessed the case, was arrested on March 15. Russian Orthodox Church made an official statement and told that the most severe measures would be taken against those "infidel women". Three activists are still in jail. (ÇT)