MOSCOW — Three Russian feminist rockers rejected charges of hooliganism for performing a "punk prayer" in Moscow's main cathedral against Vladimir Putin's return as president as a trial against them opened in earnest on Monday. The charges could carry a punishment of up to seven years in prison.
The
three members of the Pussy Riot band — Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23,
Maria Alekhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29 — have been in
custody for five months since their February stunt. Their prosecution
has caused a sharp public divide and drawn protests from rights groups
who have declared them prisoners of conscience.
The trial began
July 20 but the first sessions were devoted to procedural issues. On
Monday, with the court turning to the substance of the case,
Tolokonnikova and other defendants said in statements read by their
lawyer that their goal was to express their resentment over Russian
Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill’s support for Putin’s rule.
They
pleaded not guilty to the official charges of hooliganism driven by
“religious hatred.” Tolokonnikova said she felt sorry if some of the
believers felt insulted by their act, but that they didn’t mean to
offend anyone. It wasn’t clear how long the trial might last, but a
court has recently ruled that the women should be kept in custody for
another half-year. Two other participants in the performance haven’t
been identified and remain at large.
Here is a look at what the women did and background on the case:
THE “PUNK PRAYER”
Two
weeks before March’s presidential election five women dressed in
brightly colored miniskirts and balaclavas — masks that cover their
faces entirely and leave only the eyes uncovered — and took over the
church’s pulpit for less than a minute. They high-kicked and danced
around while singing a song pleading “Virgin Mary, drive Putin away!”
that also contained diatribes against the top Orthodox clergy. They
bowed and blessed themselves as security guards arrived to take them
out. The performance was videotaped and immediately became an Internet
hit. The act followed a series of other recent performances by the
group, including one from atop a bus and another one from a jail roof.
Shortly before their church stunt, they became an Internet sensation for
a song titled “Putin Chickens Out” from a spot on Red Square used in
czarist Russia for announcing government decrees.
THE CHURCH
The
Christ the Savior Cathedral, Moscow’s main orthodox cathedral, was
consecrated in 1883 to mark the Russian victory over Napoleon. It was
blown up in 1931 as part of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin’s anti-church
campaign, and a plan called for building a giant Palace of Soviets in
its place, complete with Stalin’s statue perched on top. That plan was
delayed by swampy ground at the site and then abandoned for good when
World War II began. The site was turned instead into a sprawling outdoor
swimming pool. After the Soviet collapse, the towering church was
rebuilt with the help of public donations and was consecrated in 2000.
It has since served as Moscow’s main Orthodox cathedral, becoming a
symbol of the restoration of the Orthodox Church’s power.
THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH’S RESPONSE
Patriarch
Kirill has condemned the rockers’ act as “blasphemous” and denounced
those believers who called for the church to forgive them. His stance
reflects the church’s growing clout and has raised concerns about its
close connections to the government and its growing influence over
decision-making.
PUBLIC DIVIDE
Russia’s leading liberal
politicians and some of the nation’s most prominent cultural figures
have strongly protested the trial and criticized the church for
supporting the criminal case instead of showing clemency. Amnesty
International has called the three women prisoners of conscience. At the
same time, some Orthodox groups and many believers are urging strong
punishment for an action they consider sacrilegious. A poll conducted in
Moscow earlier this month found that half of respondents oppose the
trial while 36 percent support it. The rest were undecided.
THE KREMLIN’S STANCE
Putin
has avoided comment on the case, but many commentators believe that he
has given his blessing to the prosecution of the three rockers as part
of a crackdown on dissent following unprecedented protests in Moscow
against his 12-year rule. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that it’s
up to the court to issue a verdict, but noted that some nations have
even tougher punishment for that kind of action.
