Russian Cultural Figures Call to Release "Pussy Riot"

More than 100 prominent Russian cultural figures have signed and open letter to the Russian Supreme Court and the Moscow City Court, calling for the release of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, members of the Pussy Riot punk band being prosecuted for disorderly conduct at the Christ the Savior Cathedral. "The criminal case against Pussy Riot compromises the Russian judicial system and undermines confidence in the government institutions on the whole," the letter says. Several Pussy Riot members, wearing masks covering their faces, staged an anti-Putin performance at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on February 21. Soon afterwards, police opened a criminal case on disorderly conduct charges. Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina were arrested on March 4 and Samutsevich on March 15 as those supposedly hiding behind the masks during the performance. Moscow's Tagansky District Court on June 20 extended their pre-trial arrest at least until July 24.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=9467
http://www.mk.ru/social/article/2012/06/26/718825-tvorcheskaya-elita-rossii-vstupilas-za-pussy-riot.html (document)