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| Russian activists Pussy Riot visit UK to talk politics, prison reform and punk | Russian activists Pussy Riot visit UK to talk politics, prison reform and punk |
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| There were selfies, lots of them, outside Downing Street, the houses of parliament and Trafalgar Square’s blue cockerel. There were interviews (the Guardian, BBC and Czech TV). And inevitably there was politics: the medieval conditions inside Russian jails, what kind of Russia might exist after Vladimir Putin, and why many on the western left appear to sympathise with Russia’s president. | There were selfies, lots of them, outside Downing Street, the houses of parliament and Trafalgar Square’s blue cockerel. There were interviews (the Guardian, BBC and Czech TV). And inevitably there was politics: the medieval conditions inside Russian jails, what kind of Russia might exist after Vladimir Putin, and why many on the western left appear to sympathise with Russia’s president. |
| During their first visit to London, Pussy Riot’s Nadya and Masha – Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina – also attacked Kremlin propaganda and, in particular, Moscow’s English-language TV channel Russia Today. | During their first visit to London, Pussy Riot’s Nadya and Masha – Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina – also attacked Kremlin propaganda and, in particular, Moscow’s English-language TV channel Russia Today. |
| This week the channel, RT, which has broadcast in the UK for nine years, found itself censured by Ofcom for its reporting on Ukraine, which breached regulations on impartiality. “We have to conquer it,” Alyokhina said of RT. “Some people on the left regard it as an alternative source of media. Obviously it’s good to have all voices on the field. But leftists in the west should realise it’s in no way a leftist channel.” | This week the channel, RT, which has broadcast in the UK for nine years, found itself censured by Ofcom for its reporting on Ukraine, which breached regulations on impartiality. “We have to conquer it,” Alyokhina said of RT. “Some people on the left regard it as an alternative source of media. Obviously it’s good to have all voices on the field. But leftists in the west should realise it’s in no way a leftist channel.” |
| Last month RT launched dedicated UK broadcasts. Tolokonnikova said its budget was more than $1bn (£600m) a year, paid for out of taxes in a country where university professors earn only $300-$400 a month. “Its budget is more than any Russian domestic channel. People should watch it realising it’s Kremlin propaganda.” | Last month RT launched dedicated UK broadcasts. Tolokonnikova said its budget was more than $1bn (£600m) a year, paid for out of taxes in a country where university professors earn only $300-$400 a month. “Its budget is more than any Russian domestic channel. People should watch it realising it’s Kremlin propaganda.” |
| More broadly, western intellectuals disillusioned with their society and politics frequently backed the Kremlin while knowing little about the darkening situation inside Russia. “A lot of people in the west … if they do not support their own government or political mainstream, they think that Putin is the only other option.” | More broadly, western intellectuals disillusioned with their society and politics frequently backed the Kremlin while knowing little about the darkening situation inside Russia. “A lot of people in the west … if they do not support their own government or political mainstream, they think that Putin is the only other option.” |
| Most westerners seemed unaware that there were dozens of political prisoners in Russia, including those arrested after protesting against Putin’s inauguration in May 2012. The Russian opposition was not dead, Tolokonnikova said – despite the failure of a mass anti-Putin protest movement in 2011-12. Activists recently organised a large demonstration against the war in Ukraine, she said. | Most westerners seemed unaware that there were dozens of political prisoners in Russia, including those arrested after protesting against Putin’s inauguration in May 2012. The Russian opposition was not dead, Tolokonnikova said – despite the failure of a mass anti-Putin protest movement in 2011-12. Activists recently organised a large demonstration against the war in Ukraine, she said. |
| Pussy Riot are spending a week in the UK. Their trip includes a visit to the British parliament, a speech at the Cambridge Union and an event on Friday evening hosted by Amnesty International. The parliament visit is in connection with Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian anti-corruption lawyer murdered in prison. Pussy Riot also plan to meet Vladimir Bukovsky, the Soviet dissident who was arrested by the KGB and spent two decades in jails and psychiatric facilities. Bukovsky and his prison memoir – English title To Build a Castle – were an inspiration, Alyokhina said, during her stint in a Russian prison colony. | Pussy Riot are spending a week in the UK. Their trip includes a visit to the British parliament, a speech at the Cambridge Union and an event on Friday evening hosted by Amnesty International. The parliament visit is in connection with Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian anti-corruption lawyer murdered in prison. Pussy Riot also plan to meet Vladimir Bukovsky, the Soviet dissident who was arrested by the KGB and spent two decades in jails and psychiatric facilities. Bukovsky and his prison memoir – English title To Build a Castle – were an inspiration, Alyokhina said, during her stint in a Russian prison colony. |
| Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina were freed by presidential amnesty last December after serving 18 months behind bars. They were punished for participating in an anti-Putin punk protest in Moscow’s Christ the Saviour cathedral – 40 seconds in which the women, dressed in rainbow-coloured tights and balaclavas, sang a punk prayer. (“Virgin Mary, mother of God, banish Putin! Virgin Mary, mother of God, banish him we pray thee!”). | Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina were freed by presidential amnesty last December after serving 18 months behind bars. They were punished for participating in an anti-Putin punk protest in Moscow’s Christ the Saviour cathedral – 40 seconds in which the women, dressed in rainbow-coloured tights and balaclavas, sang a punk prayer. (“Virgin Mary, mother of God, banish Putin! Virgin Mary, mother of God, banish him we pray thee!”). |
| Did they think their protest – aimed not only at Putin but at Russia’s pro-state orthodox church – would end with jail, a show trial and global fame? “We were thinking very practical things! We wanted to make a good video,” Alyokhina replied, laughing. | Did they think their protest – aimed not only at Putin but at Russia’s pro-state orthodox church – would end with jail, a show trial and global fame? “We were thinking very practical things! We wanted to make a good video,” Alyokhina replied, laughing. |
| Since their release the pair have travelled extensively, with Tolokonnikova’s husband Pyotr Verzilov, most recently to Norway and the US. They spoke at Harvard and met several of their heroes, including Patti Smith and Noam Chomsky. Pussy Riot said they rowed with Chomsky over Ukraine: Chomsky approves of Putin’s Crimea annexation. | Since their release the pair have travelled extensively, with Tolokonnikova’s husband Pyotr Verzilov, most recently to Norway and the US. They spoke at Harvard and met several of their heroes, including Patti Smith and Noam Chomsky. Pussy Riot said they rowed with Chomsky over Ukraine: Chomsky approves of Putin’s Crimea annexation. |
| In Russia, Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina have launched a prison reform project and a media website, Mediazona. Typically prison staff treat inmates like cattle, they said – “animals put in custody for care”. “This is why they [warders] very casually beat people up. They don’t have a sense that they [inmates] are human.” Women caught smoking were punished by being forced to dig a huge symbolic grave to drop their cigarette in. Inmates were forced to go to the toilet in the freezing cold. | In Russia, Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina have launched a prison reform project and a media website, Mediazona. Typically prison staff treat inmates like cattle, they said – “animals put in custody for care”. “This is why they [warders] very casually beat people up. They don’t have a sense that they [inmates] are human.” Women caught smoking were punished by being forced to dig a huge symbolic grave to drop their cigarette in. Inmates were forced to go to the toilet in the freezing cold. |
| “We try and cover everything about prisons and the broader law-enforcement field. If you read Mediazona for a week you won’t be able to say there are no political prisoners in Russia,” Alyokhina said. | “We try and cover everything about prisons and the broader law-enforcement field. If you read Mediazona for a week you won’t be able to say there are no political prisoners in Russia,” Alyokhina said. |
| The two women conceded that Putin was hugely popular at home, with his ratings up in the 80s following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in the spring. But they said blanket pro-government propaganda had deprived ordinary citizens of the ability to make informed political decisions, in a state characterised by political passivity. | The two women conceded that Putin was hugely popular at home, with his ratings up in the 80s following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in the spring. But they said blanket pro-government propaganda had deprived ordinary citizens of the ability to make informed political decisions, in a state characterised by political passivity. |
| “People in Russia right now are not in a situation where they think they can choose a government. When all media and TV talks only about Putin it’s very difficult for people to develop a sense that they can choose between various parties. When you talk about Putin’s support people are supporting an empty space.” They dismissed Putin’s conservative values agenda as hypocrisy, adding: “He has no programme and no plan.” | “People in Russia right now are not in a situation where they think they can choose a government. When all media and TV talks only about Putin it’s very difficult for people to develop a sense that they can choose between various parties. When you talk about Putin’s support people are supporting an empty space.” They dismissed Putin’s conservative values agenda as hypocrisy, adding: “He has no programme and no plan.” |
| The pair said they supported western sanctions against Russia, imposed by the EU and US in the wake of the war in the east of Ukraine and were indifferent to the charge that they were western stooges. During a visit to the Guardian, the pair said they had not met Edward Snowden, Moscow’s most famous fugitive, but would like to. “It could be dangerous for him and for his situation. But if he’s up for it we would meet with him.” What would they say to Snowden? “I don’t know. I think we would have our usual activist chat,” Tolokonnikova joked. | The pair said they supported western sanctions against Russia, imposed by the EU and US in the wake of the war in the east of Ukraine and were indifferent to the charge that they were western stooges. During a visit to the Guardian, the pair said they had not met Edward Snowden, Moscow’s most famous fugitive, but would like to. “It could be dangerous for him and for his situation. But if he’s up for it we would meet with him.” What would they say to Snowden? “I don’t know. I think we would have our usual activist chat,” Tolokonnikova joked. |
| Both women were amusingly scathing about the Czech president, Milos Zeman, who last weekend launched a bizarre expletive-filled attack on Pussy Riot during a radio interview. Zeman was another European left-wing leader who – when it came to Russian politics – had lost the plot, they suggested. | Both women were amusingly scathing about the Czech president, Milos Zeman, who last weekend launched a bizarre expletive-filled attack on Pussy Riot during a radio interview. Zeman was another European left-wing leader who – when it came to Russian politics – had lost the plot, they suggested. |
| “He’s better not to talk about Pussy. He doesn’t know who Pussy is. We’re experts in this and he’s not. We are punk and he’s not punk. He behaved like a usual patriarchal stupid guy,” Tolokonnikova said. | “He’s better not to talk about Pussy. He doesn’t know who Pussy is. We’re experts in this and he’s not. We are punk and he’s not punk. He behaved like a usual patriarchal stupid guy,” Tolokonnikova said. |
| Tolokonnikova said that British punk had had a huge impact on their work. She said they even stole the lyrics for one of their songs from the Cockney Rejects. “We have no idea when we started [Pussy Riot] how to play the guitar.” How was her guitar-playing now? “I can play the piano,” she said. | Tolokonnikova said that British punk had had a huge impact on their work. She said they even stole the lyrics for one of their songs from the Cockney Rejects. “We have no idea when we started [Pussy Riot] how to play the guitar.” How was her guitar-playing now? “I can play the piano,” she said. |
| • Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina will be in conversation with Luke Harding at a Guardian Live event in London on 17 November. |