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| Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism | Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot have been jailed for two years after staging an anti-Vladimir Putin protest in a Moscow cathedral. | Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot have been jailed for two years after staging an anti-Vladimir Putin protest in a Moscow cathedral. |
| Judge Marina Syrova convicted the women of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, saying they had "crudely undermined social order". | Judge Marina Syrova convicted the women of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, saying they had "crudely undermined social order". |
| The women say the protest, in February, was directed at the Russian Orthodox Church leader's support for Mr Putin. | The women say the protest, in February, was directed at the Russian Orthodox Church leader's support for Mr Putin. |
| The US, UK and EU all criticised the sentences as "disproportionate". | |
| Prosecutors had been seeking a three-year jail sentence for the women. | Prosecutors had been seeking a three-year jail sentence for the women. |
| Judge Syrova said Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, had offended the feelings of Orthodox believers and shown a "complete lack of respect". | Judge Syrova said Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, had offended the feelings of Orthodox believers and shown a "complete lack of respect". |
| "Tolokonnikova, Alyokhina and Samutsevich committed hooliganism - in other words, a grave violation of public order," she said. | "Tolokonnikova, Alyokhina and Samutsevich committed hooliganism - in other words, a grave violation of public order," she said. |
| Worldwide protests | Worldwide protests |
| Along with other members of their band, the women staged a flashmob-style performance of their song close to the altar in the cathedral on 21 February. | Along with other members of their band, the women staged a flashmob-style performance of their song close to the altar in the cathedral on 21 February. |
| Their brief, obscenity-laced performance, which implored the Virgin Mary to "throw Putin out", enraged the Orthodox Church - its leader Patriarch Kirill said it amounted to blasphemy. | Their brief, obscenity-laced performance, which implored the Virgin Mary to "throw Putin out", enraged the Orthodox Church - its leader Patriarch Kirill said it amounted to blasphemy. |
| Mr Putin was elected for a third term as president two weeks later. | Mr Putin was elected for a third term as president two weeks later. |
| Alyokhina, Tolokonnikova and Samutsevich, watching Friday's proceedings from inside a glass-walled cage in the courtroom, smiled as the widely predicted conviction was announced. | Alyokhina, Tolokonnikova and Samutsevich, watching Friday's proceedings from inside a glass-walled cage in the courtroom, smiled as the widely predicted conviction was announced. |
| The judge then took three hours to read the verdict, before handing down "two years deprivation of liberty in a penal colony" for each defendant. | The judge then took three hours to read the verdict, before handing down "two years deprivation of liberty in a penal colony" for each defendant. |
| "Considering the nature and degree of the danger posed by what was done, the defendants' correction is possible only through an actual punishment," she said. | "Considering the nature and degree of the danger posed by what was done, the defendants' correction is possible only through an actual punishment," she said. |
| One man in the courtroom shouted "shame" at the sentencing, and there were chants and whistles from the band's supporters outside. | One man in the courtroom shouted "shame" at the sentencing, and there were chants and whistles from the band's supporters outside. |
| Tolokonnikova's husband, Pyotr Verzilov, said: "Russia's image was quite scary even before [this]. What happened now is a clear sign that Russia is moving towards becoming more like China or North Korea." | Tolokonnikova's husband, Pyotr Verzilov, said: "Russia's image was quite scary even before [this]. What happened now is a clear sign that Russia is moving towards becoming more like China or North Korea." |
| Opposition leader Alexei Navalny added: "They are in jail because it is Putin's personal revenge. This verdict was written by Vladimir Putin." | Opposition leader Alexei Navalny added: "They are in jail because it is Putin's personal revenge. This verdict was written by Vladimir Putin." |
| The defendants' lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said they would not appeal to President Putin for a pardon. However, there will be a legal appeal against the verdict. | The defendants' lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said they would not appeal to President Putin for a pardon. However, there will be a legal appeal against the verdict. |
| Amnesty International said the ruling was a "bitter blow" for freedom of expression in Russia. | Amnesty International said the ruling was a "bitter blow" for freedom of expression in Russia. |
| EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and the UK's Foreign Office criticised the severity of the sentences. | |
| US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said: "We urge Russian authorities to review this case and ensure that the right to freedom of expression is upheld." | |
| On Thursday, Tolokonnikova had said she was "not bitter about being in jail". But, speaking through her lawyer on Twitter, she said: "Politically, I am furious." | On Thursday, Tolokonnikova had said she was "not bitter about being in jail". But, speaking through her lawyer on Twitter, she said: "Politically, I am furious." |
| "Our imprisonment serves as a clear and unambiguous sign that freedom is being taken away from the entire country," she said. | "Our imprisonment serves as a clear and unambiguous sign that freedom is being taken away from the entire country," she said. |
| The women have been detained for the past five months. | The women have been detained for the past five months. |
| Associated Press news agency said a number of protesters had been arrested outside the court before the sentencing was announced, including ex-world chess champion Garry Kasparov and opposition politician Sergei Udaltsov. | Associated Press news agency said a number of protesters had been arrested outside the court before the sentencing was announced, including ex-world chess champion Garry Kasparov and opposition politician Sergei Udaltsov. |
| There were also pro-Pussy Riot protests in Paris, where demonstrators in Igor Stravinsky square chanted "Freedom", and in Kiev, where women protesters sawed down a wooden cross in a central square. | There were also pro-Pussy Riot protests in Paris, where demonstrators in Igor Stravinsky square chanted "Freedom", and in Kiev, where women protesters sawed down a wooden cross in a central square. |
| Other shows of support took place in Belgrade, Berlin, Sofia, London, Dublin and Barcelona. | Other shows of support took place in Belgrade, Berlin, Sofia, London, Dublin and Barcelona. |
| The band have also had vocal support from artists including Paul McCartney and Madonna, and from politicians. | The band have also had vocal support from artists including Paul McCartney and Madonna, and from politicians. |
| Critics of the band have also been demonstrating, saying the stunt was an insult to the Russian Orthodox Church. | Critics of the band have also been demonstrating, saying the stunt was an insult to the Russian Orthodox Church. |
| One, Igor Kim, told the BBC News website from Moscow: "Shouting and screaming and spreading hate in Church is unacceptable and is contrary with Christian ethics." | One, Igor Kim, told the BBC News website from Moscow: "Shouting and screaming and spreading hate in Church is unacceptable and is contrary with Christian ethics." |
| Valentina Ivanova, a retired doctor, told Reuters: "What they did showed disrespect towards everything, and towards believers first of all." | Valentina Ivanova, a retired doctor, told Reuters: "What they did showed disrespect towards everything, and towards believers first of all." |
| One protester outside court in Moscow simply shouted: "Let Pussy Riot and all their supporters burn in hell." | One protester outside court in Moscow simply shouted: "Let Pussy Riot and all their supporters burn in hell." |
| Are you in Russia? What is your reaction to the verdict? You can send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Russia? What is your reaction to the verdict? You can send us your comments using the form below. |