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Pussy Riot members demand release of anti-government protesters in Russia Pussy Riot members demand release of anti-government protesters in Russia
(about 7 hours later)
Two members of punk band Pussy Riot took to a New York stage on Wednesday evening to demand the release of anti-government prisoners as Russia prepares to open the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Two members of punk band Pussy Riot took to the stage in New York on Wednesday night to demand the release of anti-government prisoners as Russia prepared to open the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has staked his reputation on the Sochi Games. But Moscow has come under pressure by human rights activists in the months leading up to the games for its intolerance of political dissent and a law passed last year banning promotion of homosexuality among minors. Vladimir Putin has staked his reputation on the Games. But the Kremlin has come under pressure from human rights activists in the months leading up to the sporting event owing to Russia's anti-gay and blasphemy law as well as its intolerance of political dissent.
"We demand a Russia that is free and a Russia without Putin," said Pussy Riot's Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, after being introduced at Amnesty International's "Bringing Human Rights Home" concert by the pop star Madonna. "We demand a Russia that is free and a Russia without Putin," said Pussy Riot's Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, after being introduced at Amnesty International's Bringing Human Rights Home concert by Madonna.
In 2012, Tolokonnikova, 24, and Maria Alyokhina, 25, were convicted of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred after storming Moscow's biggest Orthodox cathedral and beseeching the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin. In 2012, Tolokonnikova, 24, and fellow band-member Maria Alyokhina, 25, were convicted of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred for a protest in Moscow's biggest Orthodox cathedral in which they beseeched the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of the president.
After nearly two years behind bars, Putin granted them amnesty in December. Putin granted the pair amnesty in December after almost two years in jail.
Before speaking at the concert, the pair met the US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, to discuss "disturbing" trends in Russia, prompting a retort from Moscow's UN envoy. Before speaking at the gig on Wednesday, Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina met the US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, to discuss what was described as "disturbing" trends in Russia, prompting a retort from Moscow's UN envoy.
At the concert, the pair sought to draw attention to the fate of eight Russian demonstrators who will be sentenced later this month after being charged with mass disorder at a 2012 protest against Putin. At the concert, the pair sought to draw attention to the fate of eight Russian demonstrators who will be sentenced later this month after being charged with mass disorder at a protest against Putin in 2012.
While Pussy Riot did not perform, R&B singer Lauryn Hill, Blondie, and the alternative rock groups Imagine Dragons and Cake played at the all-star concert at a packed Barclays Centre in Brooklyn. While Pussy Riot did not perform at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, Lauryn Hill, Blondie, and the alternative rock groups Imagine Dragons and Cake did.
"Pussy Riot in many ways symbolises the spirit of what Amnesty stands for, which is that we take injustice personally and that we speak truth to power," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty's secretary general, at a press conference before the concert. "Pussy Riot in many ways symbolises the spirit of what Amnesty stands for, which is that we take injustice personally and that we speak truth to power," Salil Shetty, the charity's secretary general, told reporters before the gig.
"We do not want anybody to be fooled by what is happening before the Sochi Olympics.""We do not want anybody to be fooled by what is happening before the Sochi Olympics."
At the same news conference, Alyokhina said she absolutely did not regret the performance that landed her in prison and said there was no question but that she would continue to live in Russia. At the news conference, Alyokhina said she did not regret the cathedral protest. She said she would continue to live in Russia, adding: "We want to say to him [Putin]: leave."
"We want to say to him: leave," she said of Putin. Her and Tolokonnikova denied rumours about Pussy Riot's demise.
Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina also denied rumours about Pussy Riot's demise.
"Anybody can be Pussy Riot. You just need to put on a mask and stage an act of protest in your particular country," Alyokhina said. "We are just two individuals that spent two years in jail for taking part in a Pussy Riot protest action.""Anybody can be Pussy Riot. You just need to put on a mask and stage an act of protest in your particular country," Alyokhina said. "We are just two individuals that spent two years in jail for taking part in a Pussy Riot protest action."
While in the United States, the women plan to visit prisons and meet related non-governmental organisations to gain insight into how the Russian prison system might be improved. While in the US, the women plan to visit jails and meet related non-governmental organisations to gain insight into how the Russian prison system might be improved.
The women made a similar trip to Holland, but said they could not imagine that Russian prisons would ever resemble Dutch facilities, which Tolokonnikova described as "a universe apart". The women made a similar trip to the Netherlands, but said they could not imagine that Russian prisons would ever resemble Dutch facilities, which Tolokonnikova described as "a universe apart".
The event marks the return of a global concert series that Nobel peace prize-winning Amnesty International began 25 years ago, which has featured such rock greats as U2, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Lou Reed. The event in Brooklyn marked the return of a global concert series that Nobel peace prize-winning Amnesty International began 25 years ago, which has featured U2, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Lou Reed among others.
"Now it's time to pass that torch to another generation of young artists," said Steven Hawkins, Amnesty's executive director. "Now it's time to pass that torch to another generation of young artists," said Steven Hawkins, the charity's executive director.