Russia: Conviction for Pussy Riot

Russian and English-speaking users of Twitter responded to the conviction and sentence of two years imprisonment given to Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria and Yekaterina Alyokhina Samutsevich, members of Pussy Riot on August 17, 2012.

The women were arrested last March after a performance in February inside the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, just before Vladimir Putin were to assume the Russian presidency amid accusations of electoral fraud.

Pussy Riot convicted Russia, Moscow, August 17, 2012, by Maria Pleshkova, copyright © Demotix.

Armando stage

The judge took hours to read the sentence completely, before announcing the sentence of two years. Prosecutors had asked for seven years in prison for women, two of whom have young children.

Glenn Kates [in], journalist and former Chief of Staff of the New York Times in Moscow, tweeted:

@ Gkates : Photos fabulous, fabulous @ hegtor of # pussyriot before I started reading this incredibly long. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=450091

Mereu French [in], a specialist in Russian policy, tweeted:

@ Francescamereu : The theater of the absurd: three beautiful young handcuffed like criminals, the judge reads swearing # freepussyriot [release Pussy Riot].

Radio Liberty (Радио Свобода) tweeted a link to an article featuring the alert, now global, for the trial [ru]:

@ SvobodaRadio : Полсотни городов мира - Pussy Riot для http://goo.gl/nVivO

Judgment is announced

The blogger and activist Alexey Navalny reported that the music heard during the sentencing, originated somewhere in the street, made ​​it into the court. Some Twitter users found that the three accused began to smile.

@ Navalny: В зале заиграла песня PR. С улицы, но очень громко.

An account of Twitter blog representing Anglophone [in] LJ 'Free Pussy Riot' (Free the Pussy Riot), added to his frequent updates from the court, a note about the music:

@ Eng_Pussy_Riot : In court, play a song for # PussyRiot. From the street, but very high. # Freepussyriot [Free the Pussy Riot]

Mental Health Issues

Miriam Elder [in] The Guardian correspondent in Moscow, offered live updates throughout the sentencing:

@ MiriamElder : Now we're talking about the psychological health of women. They entered the third hour.

Denis Parfenov responded to the debate about the sanity of the accused:

@ Parfenov_ : Dear Judge # pussyriot: "No measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." ~ Krishnamurti @ MiriamElder

Other Twitter users detailed psychological assessment of the judge, highlighting the absurdity of some choices:

@ Ioffeinmoscow : The psychological expertise Tolokonnikova has determined that "partial personality disorders" because "makes decisions based on personal experience."

Sentence is read

@ TelenL: Толоконниковой - 2 года, Самуцевич - 2 года, Алехина - 2 года. # Хамсуд.

Some microbloggers recalled a statement by President Putin made ​​in # London2012 [London 2012], where he expressed his hope that the women "will not be judged too harshly:":

@ RusPoliceWatch : So the "not too hard" Putin translates to two years in prison. # PussyRiot

Other Twitter users speculated about the historical significance of the trial:

@ Ioffeinmoscow : The judge said one of the reasons for a "true statement" was "warn others". And now you know. # PussyRiot

@ ForeignPolicy : Pussy Riot: it is the group's most influential punk rock all http://bit.ly/MVh8DL

Jacob Turk, who lives in Wisconsin, tried to remind readers that Pussy Riot members are not the only Russian to face prosecution for political activism:

@ Randomdijit : deserves a retweet. Not all "guests" of Putin are young photogenic. And some are much worse than two years rferl.org / content / russ ... @ RFERL

Finally, Timothy Post, American living in Russia, noted sarcastically that the length of the sentence means that Pussy Riot could incite more controversy during the Olympic Games in Sochi 2014:

@ Timothypost : So that means that # PussyRiot remain in jail during the Winter Olympics # Sochi2014. Does ANYONE? Team in Putin understands modern public relations?!?!!

Written by Donna Welles · Translated by Gabriela Garcia Calderon Orbe · View original post [en] · Comments (0)
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