This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/19/world/europe/pussy-riot.html
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 2 Russian Protest Band Members Say They Have Been Arrested | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| SOCHI, Russia — Two members of the punk protest group Pussy Riot, recently released from prison under an amnesty program initiated by President Vladimir V. Putin, said they were arrested here on Tuesday. | SOCHI, Russia — Two members of the punk protest group Pussy Riot, recently released from prison under an amnesty program initiated by President Vladimir V. Putin, said they were arrested here on Tuesday. |
| Posting on Twitter, one member of the group, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, said that she and her band mate, Maria Alyokhina, were detained in central Sochi, about 30 minutes from the Olympic Park where the Winter Games are taking place. She said they had been accused as suspects in an unspecified crime. | Posting on Twitter, one member of the group, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, said that she and her band mate, Maria Alyokhina, were detained in central Sochi, about 30 minutes from the Olympic Park where the Winter Games are taking place. She said they had been accused as suspects in an unspecified crime. |
| After several hours of questioning, the two women, along with several others, were released without charges. Five women emerged from the station wearing the colorful masks that became their symbol and singing lines from a new protest song they have been writing. | |
| In a message on Twitter earlier on Tuesday, Ms. Tolokonnikova posted a photograph that appeared to have been taken from a police vehicle traveling toward the Olympic sites. In a brief telephone interview, Ms. Tolokonnikova confirmed that she and Ms. Alyokhina had been arrested and brought to a police station in the Adler district of Sochi. | |
| Semyon Simonov, a local activist who had worked to provide legal aid for immigrant laborers employed at Olympic construction sites, said in a telephone interview that he was among a group of eight other people who were arrested with the women from Pussy Riot as they walked toward the Sochi seaport. | Semyon Simonov, a local activist who had worked to provide legal aid for immigrant laborers employed at Olympic construction sites, said in a telephone interview that he was among a group of eight other people who were arrested with the women from Pussy Riot as they walked toward the Sochi seaport. |
| Mr. Simonov said that police warned the group that they were under suspicion and then detained them about 20 minutes later. He said the police said the arrests were the result of a report of a theft. | Mr. Simonov said that police warned the group that they were under suspicion and then detained them about 20 minutes later. He said the police said the arrests were the result of a report of a theft. |
| Last month, Mr. Simonov, who works for the nonprofit organization Memorial, was one of several activists who were denied spectator passports, which are needed along with a ticket to enter the Olympic Park. He had purchased a ticket for a hockey game for about $30. | Last month, Mr. Simonov, who works for the nonprofit organization Memorial, was one of several activists who were denied spectator passports, which are needed along with a ticket to enter the Olympic Park. He had purchased a ticket for a hockey game for about $30. |
| The two women have continued to be outspoken critics of Mr. Putin and the Russian government since their release on Dec. 23. They had expressed no pleasure in the amnesty program, saying it was intended to portray Mr. Putin as merciful in the days leading up to the Olympics, and that they would have preferred to serve the remaining few weeks of their two-year sentences. | The two women have continued to be outspoken critics of Mr. Putin and the Russian government since their release on Dec. 23. They had expressed no pleasure in the amnesty program, saying it was intended to portray Mr. Putin as merciful in the days leading up to the Olympics, and that they would have preferred to serve the remaining few weeks of their two-year sentences. |
| Ms. Tolokonnikova and Ms. Alyukhina were convicted in connection with a protest act that they staged in Moscow’s main cathedral in which they prayed to the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Mr. Putin. | Ms. Tolokonnikova and Ms. Alyukhina were convicted in connection with a protest act that they staged in Moscow’s main cathedral in which they prayed to the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Mr. Putin. |
| In a series of messages on Twitter, Ms. Tolokonnikova said that the two women had been also been detained on Sunday and Monday. On Monday, she said they were held by the Federal Security Service, known as the F.S.B. | In a series of messages on Twitter, Ms. Tolokonnikova said that the two women had been also been detained on Sunday and Monday. On Monday, she said they were held by the Federal Security Service, known as the F.S.B. |
| “On the 16th we were detained for seven hours,” she wrote. “On the 17th, we spent 10 hours with the F.S.B. and today we are in a police wagon, accused of theft.” | “On the 16th we were detained for seven hours,” she wrote. “On the 17th, we spent 10 hours with the F.S.B. and today we are in a police wagon, accused of theft.” |
| Ms. Tolokonnikova wrote that they had come to Sochi intended to carry out a protest. | Ms. Tolokonnikova wrote that they had come to Sochi intended to carry out a protest. |
| “We are in Sochi to hold a Pussy Riot action,” she wrote. “The song is called, ‘Putin Will Teach You to Love the Motherland.” However, she said they had not yet carried out any protest and were merely walking in Sochi when they were stopped by the authorities on Tuesday. | “We are in Sochi to hold a Pussy Riot action,” she wrote. “The song is called, ‘Putin Will Teach You to Love the Motherland.” However, she said they had not yet carried out any protest and were merely walking in Sochi when they were stopped by the authorities on Tuesday. |
| Ms. Tolokonnikova continued to post Twitter messages from the police station throughout Tuesday afternoon, offering more details about the detention and her group’s protest plan. | Ms. Tolokonnikova continued to post Twitter messages from the police station throughout Tuesday afternoon, offering more details about the detention and her group’s protest plan. |
| The song they had intended to perform, she wrote, was devoted to defendants charged in connection with a May 2012 political protest that turned violent in Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square, to “the corrupt Olympics”, to an environmental activist Evgeny Vitishko, who was recently sentenced to three years in prison, and to “suppression of freedom in Russia.” | The song they had intended to perform, she wrote, was devoted to defendants charged in connection with a May 2012 political protest that turned violent in Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square, to “the corrupt Olympics”, to an environmental activist Evgeny Vitishko, who was recently sentenced to three years in prison, and to “suppression of freedom in Russia.” |
| Mr. Vitishko had been an outspoken critic of environmental damage resulting from preparations for the Olympics. He was sentenced for what was essentially a parole violation following an earlier conviction on charges related to painting graffiti on a fence. | Mr. Vitishko had been an outspoken critic of environmental damage resulting from preparations for the Olympics. He was sentenced for what was essentially a parole violation following an earlier conviction on charges related to painting graffiti on a fence. |
| Although there had been numerous calls for political protests during the Sochi Olympics, particularly over Russia’s law barring “propaganda” on nontraditional sexual relationships, the games so far have been largely devoid of any political demonstrations. | Although there had been numerous calls for political protests during the Sochi Olympics, particularly over Russia’s law barring “propaganda” on nontraditional sexual relationships, the games so far have been largely devoid of any political demonstrations. |
| The Kremlin initially had sought to ban political protests outright in Sochi but Mr. Putin then issued a decree in January saying that demonstrations could take place but only with government permission and in a designated site. The local authorities chose a park in the village of Khosta, about 10 miles from the Olympic arenas, and have since said that there were few, if any, applications for rallies. | The Kremlin initially had sought to ban political protests outright in Sochi but Mr. Putin then issued a decree in January saying that demonstrations could take place but only with government permission and in a designated site. The local authorities chose a park in the village of Khosta, about 10 miles from the Olympic arenas, and have since said that there were few, if any, applications for rallies. |
| Some activists, including a local environmental organization, have said that they had sought to apply for permits but were strongly pressured by the authorities to withdraw their requests. The environmental group, for instance, said it had decided against a demonstration and instead agreed to a meeting with local and federal officials, including the deputy minister for natural resources. | Some activists, including a local environmental organization, have said that they had sought to apply for permits but were strongly pressured by the authorities to withdraw their requests. The environmental group, for instance, said it had decided against a demonstration and instead agreed to a meeting with local and federal officials, including the deputy minister for natural resources. |
| In any event, the park has remained mostly quiet except for the usual local residents pushing baby strollers or watching children ride bicycles. | In any event, the park has remained mostly quiet except for the usual local residents pushing baby strollers or watching children ride bicycles. |
| Vladimir Luxuria, a transgender former member of the Italian Parliament, said she was detained by the authorities on Sunday night after appearing in the Olympic Park with a banner that said “Gay is OK” in Russian. Ms. Luxuria was released early Monday and returned to the Olympic Park again on Monday night, wearing the gay pride movement’s signature rainbow color, and was detained again upon entering the Bolshoi Ice Dome hockey arena. | Vladimir Luxuria, a transgender former member of the Italian Parliament, said she was detained by the authorities on Sunday night after appearing in the Olympic Park with a banner that said “Gay is OK” in Russian. Ms. Luxuria was released early Monday and returned to the Olympic Park again on Monday night, wearing the gay pride movement’s signature rainbow color, and was detained again upon entering the Bolshoi Ice Dome hockey arena. |
| A spokesman for the Italian Foreign Ministry said Ms. Luxuria had been detained in a police station in Sochi for two hours on Sunday before being released. Ms. Luxuria had remained in contact with the Italian consul in Moscow, the spokesman said in an email. | A spokesman for the Italian Foreign Ministry said Ms. Luxuria had been detained in a police station in Sochi for two hours on Sunday before being released. Ms. Luxuria had remained in contact with the Italian consul in Moscow, the spokesman said in an email. |
| Olympics officials had denied on Monday that Ms. Luxuria had been detained. | Olympics officials had denied on Monday that Ms. Luxuria had been detained. |
| Ms. Luxuria traveled to Sochi to film a segment for the Italian television program Le Iene, a satirical television program that often tackles social issues. “It’s not a coincidence that Vladimir has the same name as Putin, her parents named her that, she comes from a communist background, she knows this world,” said Davide Parenti, the principal author for the program. “So we sent her so that all these contradictions would emerge.” | Ms. Luxuria traveled to Sochi to film a segment for the Italian television program Le Iene, a satirical television program that often tackles social issues. “It’s not a coincidence that Vladimir has the same name as Putin, her parents named her that, she comes from a communist background, she knows this world,” said Davide Parenti, the principal author for the program. “So we sent her so that all these contradictions would emerge.” |
| The segment he said, was intended to focus on gay life in Russia. “We didn’t go to provoke a reaction, but to talk about the issue,” Mr. Parenti said. “Because what’s happening is scandalous and it has to be talked about.” He added, “We went to report it, we had no idea it could end like this.” | The segment he said, was intended to focus on gay life in Russia. “We didn’t go to provoke a reaction, but to talk about the issue,” Mr. Parenti said. “Because what’s happening is scandalous and it has to be talked about.” He added, “We went to report it, we had no idea it could end like this.” |
| The detention of the Pussy Riot members was certain to generate far greater attention. The women became an international cause célèbre after their convictions in August 2012 on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. | The detention of the Pussy Riot members was certain to generate far greater attention. The women became an international cause célèbre after their convictions in August 2012 on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. |
| Their case was seen as a vivid example of the Kremlin’s effort to suppress political dissent and to impose harsh prison sentences for even peaceful protest actions. Musicians and artists around the world voiced support for the band members. | Their case was seen as a vivid example of the Kremlin’s effort to suppress political dissent and to impose harsh prison sentences for even peaceful protest actions. Musicians and artists around the world voiced support for the band members. |