One member of Russian punk rock act PUSSY RIOT has been freed from prison in Russia. Two other members are still set to finish their sentencing.
Consequence Of Sound reports:
Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, and Yekaterina Samutsevich appealed their case before a Moscow court earlier today. Samutsevich, who recently fired her defense attorney, was freed after her two-year prison term was suspended. Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova will complete their remaining sentences. Aspreviously reported, the three were each found guilty of โhooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostilityโ in August after performing a protest song at Moscowโs Christ the Saviour Cathedral.
According to a report by Reuters, Samutsevichโs lawyer argued that her client was nowhere near the โpunk protest,โ given that police had escorted her out of Moscowโs Christ the Saviour Cathedral before it took place. That wasnโt the case for Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova, however. The two women were quite vocal in their appeal, contending that their protest was โpolitical.โ At one point, Tolokonnikova rallied against the courtโs judge, insisting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is โdoing everything for the development of civil war in this country.โ
