STOP TRANSFER OF PUSSY RIOT TO FAR-OFF JAIL

News that Russian authorities are planning to transfer convicted members of Pussy Riot to a remote jail hundreds of miles outside Moscow.  Anna Nemtsova writes for the Daily Beast the latest update on the situation of the three young ladies who staged the Pussy Riot satire in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.

Writes Nemtsova:

"The three members of Pussy Riot sentenced to two years in prison in a trial that attracted worldwide attention are asking the warden of their pretrial detention center to let them serve out their time in Moscow instead of at a remote penal colony hundreds of miles away.

"More than 2,000 prisoners have died in or en route to Russian prisons in just the last six months, according to Russia’s prosecutor general. And the young women’s lawyers, who do not expect an Oct. 1 appeal of their August sentence for hooliganism to be successful, have received threatening messages from prison employees."

CONDEMN THE COURT IN MOSCOW FOR ITS TREATMENT OF PUSSY RIOT

What's up with the Russian court system?  A judge in Moscow sentences three members of Pussy Riot to two years in prison for singing a ribald hymn to the Mother of God, asking to drive Putin out.  Since when should the courts punish "disrespect" for organized religion?  Is Pussy Riot's real offense a complaint against the establishment of the Russian Orthodox Church.

I am a retired lawyer.  I am ashamed of the court's decision.

LET PUSSY RIOT GO FREE!

The young ladies comprising Pussy Riot jumped into the sanctuary at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow and sang a "hymn" asking the Virgin Mary to drive Putin out.  They also sang about the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, saying that he was more interested in politics than justice and peace for all.

And for this, the Russian government and the Russian Orthodox clergy want the young ladies to be sentenced to seven years!

Stop this injustice.  Let Pussy Riot go.  Putin deserves punishment from the Virgin Mary for his assumption of absolute power.  And the Russian Orthodox Church deserves penalties from on high for corruption and its identification with those in power.

STOP TRAVESTY TRIAL OF PUSSY RIOT IN RUSSIA!

Three young ladies from Pussy Riot are on trial today in Moscow for "desecrating" the cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church.  What did they do?  They sang a ribald song by the high altar mocking President Vladimir Putin.  And for that, they could be in jail a very long time.

This legal action is a travesty and a blot against justice.

Where is the concept of free speech in Russia today?  It appears not to exist.  Say something in church against the ruling ecclesiastical or political authorities and you could wind up like members of the Pussy Riot facing a sentence of seven years.