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Maxim Shemetov / Reuters
Elmira Abdrazakova, seen winning the annual national "Miss Russia" beauty pageant, said the sentences imposed on members of the punk band Pussy Riot were "too harsh."
MOSCOW -- Miss Russia 2013 said on Saturday that the sentencing of punk rockers Pussy Riot to two years in prison for their protest performance in a Moscow cathedral was too harsh a punishment.
Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, were sent to prison camps in August after performing an anti-Kremlin "prayer" in February last year at Moscow's main Russian Orthodox cathedral.
"I've graduated from a Sunday school and a place of worship for me is something sacred," Elmira Abdrazakova, who was named Miss Russia 2013 earlier this month, told the Russkaya Sluzhba Novostei radio station. "But still, their punishment is too harsh."
Despite a number of artists, writers and celebrities, and even politicians defending the group, most of President Vladimir Putin's supporters backed the Pussy Riot sentencing.
Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP - Getty Images
Members of the all-girl punk band "Pussy Riot": (from left) Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova in a glass-walled cage in a court in Moscow, on October 2012.
Nearly 60 percent of Putin's electorate found the verdict fair, and 53 percent of all Russians did, according to the Moscow- based Public Opinion Foundation, or FOM.
Patriarch Kirill, the head of the dominant Russian Orthodox Church and a Kremlin ally, has called the act part of a coordinated attack to thwart the post-Soviet revival of the church.
Putin in October called the band's sentencing fair, although on Thursday he declined to comment on whether the women should be freed.
The 18-year-old Abdrazakova, whose Miss Russia crowning stirred some controversy as her father is a Tatar and mother an ethnic Russian, suggested that working with the Pussy Riot women to change their view of the world would perhaps have been a better option.
Samutsevich has been since released from prison, but Alyokhina's appeal for a deferment of her sentence until hear child reaches adolescence has been denied. Tolokonnikova submitted a request for early release this week, Russian media reported.
Western governments and personalities such as the pop singer Madonna and Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi have called for the release of the band members from prison.
Abdrazakova's statement echoed comments of Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who said that he had found the Pussy Riot act offensive, but thought the women should be freed.
Related:
Member of Russian punk rock band Pussy Riot: I've received death threats
Russian court bans 'extremist' Pussy Riot video from websites
Pussy Riot members sent to far-flung prisons, lawyer says
Leave a Comment:
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I agree with Ms. Russia, not a good idea to lock up the Pussy for that long....
LOL I can't belive it.
I sure don't want to be near a PUSSY RIOT.
Be glad it was in Russia.. if it was in the US, the Republicans would find a way to regulate them too
In the US, it's more subtle in supressing dissent, that's the only difference with Russia, even though it's First Amendment right to free speech. Sometimes, the Russia style can also be found in the US, too.
Yeah, republicans regulate pussy, while the democrats regulate dicks.
In other news, Miss Russia has been sentenced to 10 years hard labor in a Russian gulag...
That repressive governments like Russia (what the hell are they so damned afraid of anyway?), China, North Korea, etc. still exist in this day and age tells me mankind hasn't really come very far from it's dark age, medieval roots at all.. People still allow leaders like Putin to run the show, too terrified to stop him and say enough is enough! If people really want change but don't want to run up against a line of guns and tanks all they have to do is sit on their butts and do nothing! They don't need to protest, they don't need to put themselves in danger.. Just stay in their homes and not go to work.. It won't take long for their country's economics to grind to a halt leaving their leaders in damn desperate circumstances.. It's the people that really control their governments only they don't realize it or don't care enough to want change.. Most are too frightened to stand up for themselves or too comfortable (especially we Americans as we proved when the Occupy protests began).. Only when ALL people join together does real change take place.. These women should NEVER have been arrested in the first place for voicing their views! That the Russian government is that afraid of a small punk rock band voicing their opinion says just how terrified they are!
Susie, I agree the PR women did not deserve jail. Had their protest been on public property they'd deserve no punishment at all, but since it was private property of that religious group, their unwelcome and slightly rowdy visit did warrant a small fine and/or community service. As for all the people banding together in protest, the major problem is the people don't all agree on what is wrong or how to fix it.
big deal, after 2 years they will be set for life, they got so much publicity anything they make now will sell like crazy.
Ally, can you really be so dense and/or heartless? Are you saying you would happily spend 2 or more years in the Russian penal system in order to make some money? And I rather doubt they will be "set for life" in that country.
Laker Steve
Umm no.. the republicans regulate BOTH
1. They want to tell women what they can and cannot do with their vaginas. Legitimate rape is NOT acceptable
2. They want to tell lesbian women they cannot be legally married and should be discriminated against.
3. They want to tell men they cannot be legally married should be discriminated against.
Now, tell me again where do you see DEMOCRATS there? Ask PAUL RYAN about it
Justme, not 'some' money, but millions of dollars, yes. They are set for life in any country they go to, they could live off interviews alone if they wanted to but Im sure they will make more albums and start touring, that will leave them with millions of dollars and a cool story to tell the grand children.
I love the headline. They'll change that when they wake up. GM to all
Anything that Madonna and Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi have to say should be totally ignored. Madonna of all people. She insults the intelligence of the average person.
ray @ #3 As Madonna sits there counting her cash do you think she cares what you say?
Pussy riot huh? Never been in one, but always wanted to.
Who the heck writes and edits MSNBC.com articles?? Here's one more example of sloppy journalism:
Samutsevich has been since released from prison, but Alyokhina's appeal for a deferment of her sentence until hear child reaches adolescence has been denied. Tolokonnikova submitted a request for early release this week, Russian media reported.
Unacceptable that this major source of news confuses "hear" with "her"!
I agree 100%. The guys who write this crap are supposed to be educated and have a command of the English language, an example to us! In another article the journalist used the term "snuck" many times as the past tense of sneak. A reply to my admonition said that we should pay attention to the subject matter and not the grammar! Mediocrity has become the norm as Spanish takes over as our common language. I axes you all, is that de way it sou be?
Companies used to have what was called 'quality control'.. Everything they made had to pass muster or the product was never sent out the door.. American companies used to be so proud of what they made and were real sticklers for having products 100% BEFORE their 'quality control' people let them pass.. So it was with newspapers and magazines.. Each article was proof-read very carefully to correct for any misspellings or incorrect language.. Now the people that write these articles are so stupid they don't even know how to use spellchecker and I seriously doubt if they bother to proof-read their own writings.. It's for sure MSN doesn't.. Oh, how far America has sunk when we can't even be bothered to use a computer program to do our work for us!
Careful Miss Russia! Your kitty could end up in the can too! You're not in the US and you don't have rights!
Oh yeah like the rights the kids dancing at the Jefferson monument had a couple years back when they were arrested. The US is more like Russia than the average American thinks it is. And becoming more and more like it every day.
How about you moving to Russia and giving us a first hand report regarding how much we are alike. Most damn fools that would like to complain about how much freedom they don't have, haven't a clue!
"g0ne4n0w
Oh yeah like the rights the kids dancing at the Jefferson monument had a couple years back when they were arrested. The US is more like Russia than the average American thinks it is. And becoming more and more like it every day."
You are so right. Too bad most of your fellow Americans really don't care or are ignorant about some of the shocking, true stories regarding abuses by police, the courts, and schools. The news does report these stories but many people are just too asleep to take notice.
Just give it about 3 to 5 more years, and the US will be the new Soviet Union.
Putin wan'ts them pussy rioters where he can get to "em" !
The world agrees the sentences were too harsh. Unfortunately, Vladimir Putin is not on this world. He lives in his own little world where he decides what is right and wrong, black and white, and who succeeds and who doesn't. That world is run by Fox News.
Yeah, kinda like Obama covering up the fast & furious, right?
Obama didn't cover up fast and furious, he just told the GOP to shove it! And guess what, that was the end of it. Just like how many American's were killed in embassy attacks while Bush was president, and how many under Obama?
When you see the total numbers, then you wonder about the mentatilty of the people whinning and crying. Yep, it's the GOP doing it.
Obama didn't cover up fast and furious................. bwahahahaha
Eleven Embassy Attacks Under Bush. Why Wasn't the GOP Upset? Nobody was murdered and dragged down the street and blamed it on a damn video.
You may be correct that the sentences were too harsh but then again, allowing the uncivilized free reign, in a society of order, has it's own harsh penalties. Look at our society! We have rights, such as the right to own nasty weapons, and then the uncivilized get their hands on them and we have death an destruction. Are the words of unrest and defiance of authority used by the Pussy Riot any less destructive? Maybe, maybe not!!
(Please not a comment on guns rights ... weapon comparison for philosophical purposes only)
It was not the first time they were arrested. They have been arrested before for having public orgies at a public art museum, defacing 500 year old bridge with a sexual organ and having sex with achicken drumstick in a market. But please continue with your ignorance I am sure shooting up a school can wait till later. Also since you cant stand it, it the Russian people who want the harsh punishment against these women who are tired of the acts they do.
I admire her courage for speaking out, and she's really easy on the eyes.
Good for her. I am surprised she won that beauty contest though.
A Pussy Riot makes the bra-burnings of the 60's and 70's look mild. But seriously. Oh, never mind.
Church in Russia and Ukraine plays a big role in politics. When I visited my family in Ukraine I saw people in a complete "church meditation".. or something like that.. I don't like it , personally.. I think church is good until it doesn't get involved with all the politicians... I hope the US will keep Jesus from the white hose as your Constitution saying ... Ones you allow it in, there will be no turning back.
If your imagination thinks there is something listening besides your imagination, then begging in silence should work.
The best thing to come of this story is that major news sites have had to say "Pussy Riot" over and over.
The people, there and eventually here, will want a king. Not a benevolent king, but a cruel and dictatorial king who goes to their church. Mr. Putin is setting himself up to be that person.
I've never understood why the media quotes celebrity commenting on things for which they have neither special knowledge or authority.
I like to point out because you people very ignorant to these ladies as you call freedom fighters. They have been arrested before for having public orgies at a art museum, defacing 500 year old bridge with a sexual organ and having sex with a chicken drumstick in a market. But please continue with your ignorance I am sure shooting up a school can wait till later.
I think the media is loving the fact they can print a word they could not otherwise easily get away with.
Yea, what was the name of that school here at home, where our National Guard shot the kids for demonstrating? That's not much better than what China did to their kids. Stalin, killed more of his own people than the Germans did. It could have been the name of the band, the Russians didn't like. Some of these writers, just like to rile us up.
pussy got sentenced to hard time...
Pussy Riot members are the Dixie Chicks of Russia.
It's too bad they let children use this format to puke out their not funny comments using "pussy". Grow up!
The Dixie Chicks are another group of women that was RIGHT ON TARGET! The knuckle draggers in America persicuted them.
Have you ever even seen a Pussy Riot?? Wellll!
The "electorate supports Putin." Dah! As if civilians in Russia would openly protest Putin's government. They know they'd be imprisioned for 2 years ............... Pussy Riot has broad support, they will probably survive their 2 years, the rest of the publicy protesting "electorate" well, that's a different story.
They have no support in Russia. After a long list of pointless sex acts in public or religious sites tended to brand them hated by everyone in Russia.
Another brain trust in a tiara. Goody.
Putin is the one that belongs in prison.
Citizens in the United States never worry about ending up in jail when they publicly express a negative opinion about their government. They're too busy worrying about being labeled an 'enemy combatant' by the government and then secretly arrested and transported to a foreign prison in the grossest violation of their Constitutionally-guaranteed 'Due Process' rights; or being targeted by a weaponized drone, depending upon how great a threat their "Free Speech' is perceived as being by the money elite and their lackey politicians.
Gosh, how I long for the days when they just ordered the police to beat you up and falsely arrest you if you spoke up against government tyranny.
and this is one of the reasons why im glad i live in America despite our issues.