France, Germany Concerned over Pussy Riot Trial

The French and the German authorities have officially expressed their concern over the Pussy Riot punk rock group's trial in the Khamovnichesky District Court. The statements of concern were made by the German government and the French parliament. On February 21, five girls wearing brightly colored masks stormed the altar of downtown Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral to perform a protest song. A video of their performance was posted on the Internet and incited a public uproar.  The prosecution has requested three years of imprisonment for each defendant. Their sentence will be announced on August 17. "The federal government is convinced that Russia can modernize over a continuous time period only with an open and versatile society," German Deputy Spokesman Georg Streiter said. Additionally, 121 deputies from all of Germany's parliamentary factions sent a joint letter of support for the Pussy Riot band members to Russian Ambassador in Germany Vladimir Grinin. France also supports Germany's stance regarding Pussy Riot's trial. "We share the concern regarding the detention terms and the course of the trial against the group's members," Deputy Foreign Minister Vincent Floreani said.

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