The members of Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot are inching ever closer to a date with a labour camp for the crime of performing a song critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
They were charged in March after performing “Punk Prayer” (watch below).
In a surprising statement, Putin himself said, “There is nothing good in what they did; I don’t think they should be judged too severely.”
According to Amnesty International, the three young women face sexual and physical abuse at the labour camp if they are sentenced to the three-year term Russian prosecutors are seeking.
The US State Department released a country report in 2011 stating that Russia continues to consistently suppress freedom of expression and assembly.
High-profile bands such as Red Hot Chili Peppers and Franz Ferdinand have spoken out in support of the persecuted trio.
Sign Amnesty International’s petiton to free Pussy Riot.
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