Contact: Sharon Singh, [email protected], 202-675-8579, @AIUSAmedia
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – A Russian appeal court decision to refuse parole to Maria Alekhina, one of the Pussy Riot
punk group singers jailed for singing a protest song in an Orthodox cathedral, is a further travesty of justice,
Amnesty International said today.
“This decision is a further confirmation that the Russian authorities are uncompromising in their suppression of
freedom of expression,” said Denis Krivosheev, Europe and Central Asia deputy program director.
Today, the Perm Regional Court upheld a previous decision to refuse to grant parole to 24-year-old Alekhina. She
together with Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevich, three of the members of the all-female group Pussy
Riot, were charged with “hooliganism on grounds of religious hatred” after they sang a protest song in Moscow’s
main Orthodox cathedral in February 2012. All three were subsequently sentenced to two years imprisonment in a
penal colony, but Samutsevich was later given a suspended sentence on appeal.
“Maria Alekhina and the other two punk singers shouldn’t have been arrested in the first place,” said
Krivosheev. “They were deprived of their freedom solely for the peaceful expression of their beliefs and Amnesty
International considers them to be prisoners of conscience. The Russian authorities must release Maria Alekhina and
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova immediately and unconditionally and the sentences against them and Ekaterina Samutsevich
should be overturned.”
“Today’s court decision is meant to intimidate further free speech. It may be presented as principled, but it
reveals a trend of bullying critics in spite of the country’s obligations to defend and promote human rights.”
In January 2013, Maria Alekhina applied for an early release so she could take care of her 5-year-old son. Her
application was rejected on the grounds that this had already been taken into account when passing her initial
sentence last year. On the eve of the appeal hearing, over 100
internationally-renowned musicians called for the immediate release of Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda
Tolokonnikova.
“It’s deeply shocking that Masha, a young mother, remains behind bars for a peaceful expression of her beliefs,”
said Angelique Kidjo, one of the signatories. “Together with fellow musicians, artists, Amnesty members and
thousands of people from all over the world, we will continue to demand a release from this outrageously unjust
imprisonment. Free Pussy Riot!”
In just two days since the
letter was issued, over 15,000 people from across the globe have signed a petition calling on the Prosecutor
General to ensure immediate and unconditional release of Maria and Nadezhda and the number of the signatories
continues to grow.
Amnesty International invites everyone to take action to help free the women at amnestyusa.org/pussyriot.
The parole appeal of fellow imprisoned Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova will be heard on July 26 by the
Supreme Court of the Republic of Mordovia where she is serving her sentence.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3
million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The
organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people
wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.