Three members of Pussy Riot -- a Russian punk band and feminist collective that mocked Russian president Vladimir Putin during a "punk prayer" in Moscow cathedral -- have been found guilty of hooliganism and sentenced to two years in jail, the Yahoo News website reports today (August 17, 2012).
Judge Marina Syrova announced the verdict from a district court in central Moscow, about two miles from the Christ the Savior Orthodox Cathedral where the guerrilla group performed its "flash" stunt.
The band members -- Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Maria Alyokhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30 -- were arrested on March 3, several weeks after the performance, and charged with "hooliganism." They have been in jail since then.
Their trial drew enormous international interest, sparking catcalls from international free-speech advocates and spawning dozens of protests. Madonna, Bjork, Paul McCartney, and Courtney Love were among a long list of musicians to come out in support of Pussy Riot, calling on the Russian government to set the band members free.
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