PEN og WiPC tager afstand fra dom over Pussy Riot

Pussy Riot bandmedlemmer idømt to års fængsel

 

 

PEN’s Writers in Prison Comittee (WiPC) er chokeret over dommen på to års fængsel til de tre kvinder, fra punkbandet Pussy Riot: Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samusevich.

 

De tre kvinder har siddet varetægtsfængslet siden begyndelsen af marts måned og har ventet på retssagen, der først fandt sted i slutningen af juli.

Den 17. august faldt dommen på to års ophold i en lukket russisk arbejdslejr.

 

Under selve retssagen sad kvinderne i et politiovervåget skudsikkert glasbur. Anklageren og dennes vidner påstod, at Pussy Riots protest “vidnede om et dybt had til alle ortodokse kristne” og at deres protestsang “intet havde at gøre med Putins regime”, som de tre kvinder påstår.

 

PEN International var til stede under retssagen, hvor forsvaret igen og igen blev nægtet at gøre indsigelser, at indkalde vidner eller i det hele taget at få lov til at tale kvindernes sag.

Denne repressive fremgangsmåde i russisk retspraksis er yderst bekymrende, og vidner om en støt stigende stramning af ytringsfriheden i dagens Rusland.

 

Dommen faldt knap seks måneder efter de tre bandmedlemmers fængsling og sigtelsen for “hooliganisme motiveret af religiøst had” – en forbrydelse, der kan udløse en straf på op til syv års fængsel.

 

Baggrund:

 

D. 21. februar gik de tre kvinder fra Pussy Riot ind i Christ the Saviour Cathedral i Moskva iført farvede masker og optrådte med en sang, der understregede den tætte forbindelse mellem Putin og den ortodokse kirke.

En dokumenterende videooptagelse af protesten viser, at der hverken skete vold på tilstedeværende personer eller inventar i kirken. PEN International mener, at sangens tekst og selve fremførslen lå for tæt på den form, der almindeligvis bruges i tilbedelsen af Jomfru Maria – og at det er derfor Pussy Riot bliver straffet så alvorligt.

 

Den hårde fængselsdom af de tre kvinder har skabt oprør verden over i både den trykte presse og (måske især) i alle netbaserede sociale medier, og sætter fokus på Ruslands stigende problemer med ytringsfriheden.

 

For more information on the case see our RAN alert’s:

http://www.pen-international.org/newsitems/russia-pussy-riot-trial-closes-%E2%80%93-verdict-due-17-august/

 

PEN International published a translation of their “punk prayer” Punk Moleben and its context:

http://www.pen-international.org/newsitems/russia-pussy-riot-punk-moleben-put-putin-away/

 

PEN Russia’s open letter to Vladimir Putin in support of Pussy Riot members:

http://www.pen-international.org/newsitems/pen-russia-protests-pussy-riot-detentions/

 

We also recommend articles and tweets by Guardian Moscow correspondent Miriam Elder who was present at the trial @MiriamElder

 

Appeals

 

Please send letters

 

Expressing shock at the two year sentences served against Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samusevich;

 

Adding that long term imprisonment for an action that did not cause physical damage to any person, building or property  would in other circumstances have resulted in a lesser punishment, caution or financial penalty ;

 

Pointing out that the harsh sentence is clearly in retaliation for the lyrics of the song performed by Pussy Riot members, containing language that is strongly critical of the Church and of President Putin in particular, and is this in breach of  international conventions, specifically Article 19 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, to which Russia is a signatory;

 

Therefore calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the three women.

 

Address

 

You can send messages to President Putin on the Kremlin website

http://eng.letters.kremlin.ru/

 

Or by mail:

 

President Vladimir Putin

President of the Russian Federation

23, Ilyinka Street, Moscow, 103132

Russia

 

You may find that the Russian ambassador in your own country is more likely to respond to your appeals, so we recommend that you either write to him or her directly or send a copy of your appeal. You can find the Russian embassy in your country here.

 

Messages of solidarity to the prisoners can be sent via the FreePussyRiot website: www.freepussyriot.org

For further information please contact Sara Whyatt at PEN International Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International, Brownlow House, 50-51 High Holborn, London WC1V 6ER Tel: +44 (02) 20 7405 0338 Fax: +44 (0) 20 74050339 Email: sara.whyatt@pen-international.org

 

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Sara Whyatt | Deputy Director | Sous-Directeur | Sub-Directora | PEN International

t. +44 (0)20 7405 0338 | m. +44 (0)7824640527 | e. Twitter | Facebook | www.pen-international.org

Celebrating 90 years of promoting literature and defending freedom of expression

 

International PEN is trading as PEN International. International PEN is a company registered in England and Wales with registration number 05683997. International PEN is a registered charity in England and Wales with registration number 1117088. International PEN’s registered office is Brownlow House, 50-51 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6ER, UK.

 

 

Mette Thelin, informationsmedarbejder

 

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