Outrage after Pussy Riot jailed for two years
International community calls the jailing of the punk band Pussy Riot 'unfair' and 'excessively harsh' after they receive two year sentences
Sir Paul McCartney backs Pussy Riot trio who face jail
Sir Paul McCartney has backed the Pussy Riot trio who face prison for performing an anti-Putin protest song inside Moscow's main cathedral.
Russia Deputy PM attacks Madonna over Pussy Riot
A senior Russian official has hit out at Madonna, after she proclaimed her support for the jailed feminist punk band Pussy Riot.
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Russian court to rule in Pussy Riot member case
A Russian court will today consider whether one of the jailed Pussy Riot band members is eligible for early release as she has served a half of her two-year sentence.
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who has been in custody since her arrest last March, is serving the sentence for the band's irreverent protest against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's main cathedral.
Tolokonnikova and two other female members of the punk band were convicted last year of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred for an anti-Putin performance at Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral.
One of the women, Yekaterina Samutsevich, has had her sentence suspended on appeal.
Judges reject Pussy Riot appeal against conviction
Moscow's highest court has rejected an appeal by three members of the punk band Pussy Riot against their hooliganism conviction after they staged a protest against Vladimir Putin.
The judges upheld the verdict against the band last week, but the decision was not published until today, the Associated Press reported.
Pussy Riot performed a "punk prayer" in Moscow's Red Square asking the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin shortly before he was elected to a third term as president.
The court said this offended religious believers and disturbed the peace.
Band members Yekaterina Samutsevich, Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were each handed two-year sentences in August last year.
Ms Samutsevich was released on appeal, but her conviction was not overturned.
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Russian PM: Pussy Riot 'should not be in jail'
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said he believes punk band Pussy Riot should not be in prison, after two members began two-year terms on hooliganism charges, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Mr Medvedev was quoted as saying, "I would not put them in jail if I was a judge. I simply don't consider it right that they serve prison sentences. They have already been in jail long enough".
Pussy Riot member receives suspended sentence
A Moscow City Court judge has issued a suspended sentence for one member of feminist trio Pussy Riot.
30-year-old Yekaterina Samutsevich has been freed, but 22-year-old Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, and 24-year-old Maria Alyokhina had their appeal rejected and the court upheld the two-year-sentence imposed on them in August.
Two members of Pussy Riot lose appeal
A Russian appeal court has upheld the two-year prison sentence given to two members of feminist trio Pussy riot by a court in August, and has freed a third member of the group.
A Moscow City Court judge said the court was leaving the sentences in place for Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina but issuing a suspended sentence for Yekaterina Samutsevich.
Pussy Riot appeal prison sentence
Three members of the punk band Pussy Riot are set to make their case before a Russian appeals court in Moscow today.
The feminist trio were convicted in August of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred and sentenced to two years in prison for performing an anti-Putin protest song inside Moscow's third biggest cathedral.
The verdict was condemned in the US and Europe, where it was seen as an illustration of Mr Putin's intolerance of dissent.
Mr Putin, however has since defended the ruling saying "it is impermissible to undermine our moral foundations, moral values, to try to destroy the country".
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Pussy Riot appeal hearing postponed after defence lawyer fired
A Russian court has postponed the band Pussy Riot's appeal hearing against their two-year sentence after a member of the trio fired their lawyer.
Yekaterina Samutsevich announced at the opening of hearing that she recused her three lawyers over an unspecified disagreement.
The hearing will now be held on October 10th.
Pussy Riot appeal hearing delayed after defence lawyer 'fired'
The appeal hearing of Russia punk band Pussy Riot has been delayed after one of the trio jailed for staging an anti-Kremlin protest fired her lawyer.
The BBC's Steve Rosenberg reports that Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, rejected the services of her lawyer because of a "difference of opinion".
There is currently a break and the judges have left the courtroom.
Pussy Riot trio arrive in court for their appeal
Church spokesman: Pussy Riot should get a chance to mend their ways if they 'repent'
Ahead of Pussy Riot's appeal, senior church spokesman, Vladimir Legoida, said the band;s stunt "must not remain unpunished whatever the justification," but that any repentance, if expressed, should be taken into account.
The church sincerely wishes for the repentance of those who desecrated a holy place, certainly it would benefit their souls.
If any words of the convicts indicate repentance ... we would wish that they are not left unnoticed and those who violated the law get a chance to mend their ways."
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