Tag: Pussy Riot

AUG 17, 2012 - Even though there were worldwide protests calling for the release of Pussy Riot, such as the Russian Embassy here in DC that JTMP attended (see pic to right, and video coming soon), the Russian court handed down a guilty verdict and 2 year prison sentences to the 3 women activist musicians from the punk activist band Pussy Riot. The charge was "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred", and it has caused an uproar from people appalled by the decision. The White House, Sting, Sir Paul McCartney, and many, many people have come out and spoken against this verdict and harsh sentence.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the Obama administration is "disappointed with the Pussy Riot verdict. While we understand the group's behavior was offensive for some, we have concerns about the way these young women were treated by the Russian judicial system."

Sting on Amnesty International's website said, "Dissent is a legitimate and essential right in any democracy and modern politicians must accept this fact with tolerance. A sense of proportion - and a sense of humour - is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness."

Everyone is hoping for Putin to step in and reverse these charges and free these women, which are even putting a strain on Russian-European relations. To sign the petition to Free Pussy Riot, go to Amnesty International's petition here.This leads us to why this is all really happening: The powerful Russian Orthodox Church is behind the pressure to come down hard on these 3 women for their free speech action. So, JTMP believes we shouldn't be protesting in front of the Russian Embassy, but at the Russian Orthodox Church, where the blame lies for this injustice that is happening. We call for boycott and protest of the Russian Orthodox Church until these women are freed and this travesty of justice is reversed. Starting with the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Washington, DC. It is located at 4001 17th Street NW.

More info and video on all of this coming soon, so check back daily!

AUG 16, 2012 - The calls for Pussy Riot to be freed has grown louder, and the crowds at the rallies in support of their freedom have spread around the world and have gotten larger and more motivated. JTMP has been out in front of this story for weeks, because we are all about using music and activism together and we applaud the free speech action the women did at the Russian Orthodox Church and join the calls for their release. Many musicians have been coming out in support of Pussy Riot, such as Pete Townshend, Madonna, Peaches, Bjork and many, many others.

On this Friday, Aug. 17, 2012, all of the activists have organized to be spread out in cities across the world when the court announces the verdict, which will be announced at 2:00 PM Moscow time (1000 GMT), and JTMP plans to be at the Russian embassy here in DC, where earlier Amnesty International delivered 80,000 signatures in a petition to free Pussy Riot who they believe to be "prisoners of conscience". Read more on HuffPo here.

For video of this event and to get involved in the Free Pussy Riot movement check back to JTMP daily, and also check out FreePussyRiot.org, click on the city near you and join the Pussy Riot Global Day on Friday, August 17, 2012.

Aug 15, 2012 - JTMP has been blogging extensively about the trial of three members of the Russian female activist punk band "Pussy Riot", and we wanted to pass along a press release from Canadian-born German activist musician Peaches, who has launched a petition to collect signatures on Change.org to Free Pussy Riot, and call and end to this charade by the Russian court where free speech is on trial. Watch the activist music video by Peaches below where in Berlin "about 400 people joined Peaches on the street to show support for the members of Russian conceptual art punk activist band, Pussy Riot, 3 of which are on trial for performing a "punk prayer" against President Vladimir Putin." 

They also add that "people from all over the world have contributed their own mini-protest videos calling for the release of Pussy Riot". After watching the video please read the press release below.  (photo credit: CC/Peaches)

PEACHES LAUNCHES CHANGE.ORG PETITION IN SUPPORT OF PUSSY RIOT, ACQUIRING OVER 85,000 SIGNATURES IN FIVE DAYS

WITH SIMONNE JONES, PREMIERES “FREE PUSSY RIOT” VIDEO WITH APPEARANCES FROM LYKKE LI, PETER, BJORN & JOHN, THE HIVES, MARGARET CHO, THE KNIFE, MIIKE SNOW, NICK ZINNER OF YEAH YEAH YEAHS, BUN E CARLOS OF CHEAP TRICK, WAYNE KRAMER OF THE MC5, VARIOUS MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, ACTIVISTS, AND FREE-THINKERS

August 15th, 2012 -- New York, New York – Peaches has launched a petition in support of the Russian conceptual art punk activist band Pussy Riot on the social action website Change.org. The petition has acquired over 85,000 signatures in just five days and is available for signature at www.change.org/freepussyriot . In March 2012, Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, three members of Pussy Riot, were taken into custody by Russian authorities for criticizing Putin in a ‘Punk Prayer” performed at an Orthodox church in Moscow.  The three members were charged with ‘hooliganism motivated by religious hatred’ and face up to seven years in prison with the verdict being delivered this Friday, August 17th.   On Friday morning at 11:30am CET, www.freepussyriot.org will stage a demonstration in front of the Berlin Russian Embassy and will deliver the petition.

CLICK READ MORE FOR REST OF PRESS RELEASE

Aug 8, 2012 - Reuters reports this morning that the members of Pussy Riot are as strong as ever in their defense, and one of the girls on trial Maria Alyokhina told the court yesterday, "I am not afraid of your poorly concealed fraud of a verdict in this so-called court because it can deprive me of my freedom. No one can take my inner freedom away." Read more on Reuters.com here.

Also, Madonna has come out in support of the 3 women musicians at her show in Moscow yesterday, even talking to the audience about American freedoms and said, "As an artist, as a human being, as a woman, I have freedom to express my point of view, even if other people don't agree with me. Even if my government doesn't agree with me. So I want to say a few words about Pussy Riot....I think that they have done something courageous...I pray for their freedom." Read more on NY Times here. Watch Madonna at her Moscow show yesterday thanks to SAIDCHILI on YouTube below. (photo credit: CC/David Shankbone)

Aug 7, 2012 - Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia's most famous prisoner who got jailed for....well, for nothing, commented on the Pussy Riot trial and said on his website, "It's painful to watch what is taking place in the Khamovnichesky Court in the city of Moscow, where Masha, Katya and Nadya are on trial. The word ""trial" is only applicable in the sense in which it was used by the Inquisitors of the Middle Ages." He also said, "I am very ashamed and hurt. And not because of these girls – the mistakes of youthful radicalism can be forgiven – but for the state, which is profaning our Russia with its complete and utter lack of conscience." 

It looks like the Russian prosecutor trying the case, Alexander Nikiforov, is ignoring the calls for leniency from Putin to Pete Townshend and many human rights groups and will be seeking a 3-year sentence for the 3 female activist musicians for their free speech action at the Russian Orthodox Church altar. Read more on NBC News here.

Read the entire statement from Mikhail Khodorkovsky statement on his website here, and check out a JTMP video below of a recent Pussy Riot Protest in front of the Russian embassy here in DC. (photo credit: PressCentral - Khodorkovsky)