Amnesty International: Pussy Riot Punks Are Prisoners of Conscience

July 30, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

Three young women who staged a punk-rock protest against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's main Orthodox church will go on trial in a case seen as a test of Russia's tolerance of dissent. Amnesty International's John Dalhuisen tells Al Jazeera English why he thinks the trial process is flawed.

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Pussy Riot

Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist punk-rock collective that stages politically provocative impromptu performances in Moscow, on subjects such as the status of women in Russia, and most recently against the election campaign of Prime Minister Putin for president of Russia. Explore this topic

Amnesty International

Amnesty International is a non-governmental organisation focused on human rights with over 3 million members and supporters around the world. The objective of the organisation is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to d... Explore this topic

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician who has been the President of Russia since 7 May 2012. Putin previously served as President from 2000 to 2008, and as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. Putin was also previously the Chai... Explore this topic

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few blocks southwest of the Kremlin. With an overall height of 105 metres, it is the tallest Orthodox Christian church in the world. Explore this topic

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. Punk b... Explore this topic

Moscow

Moscow is the capital city and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural and scientific center in Russia and in Europe. According to Forbes 2011, Moscow has the largest community of billionaires in the world. Moscow is the n... Explore this topic

Russia

Russia or, also officially known as the Russian Federation, is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares land borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania an... Explore this topic

Protest song

A protest song is a song which is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of topical songs. It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre. Among social movements that have an associated body of songs are the abolition movement, w... Explore this topic

Russian Orthodox Church

Die Russisch-Orthodoxe Kirche, wiss. Transliteration Russkaja Pravoslavnaja Cerkov' ist eine christliche Kirche. Als Russisch-Orthodoxe Kirche werden zumeist die autokephale orthodoxe Kirche von Moskau und Russland und die ihr nachgeordneten Kirchen einschließlich der Diözesen... Explore this topic

Trial

In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal, which may occur before a judge, jury, or other designated tr... Explore this topic

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Pussy Riot

Amnesty International

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1:16

Russian Court Brands Pussy Riot Video 'Extremist'

Euronews | Nov 29

A Russian court has ruled video footage of punk group Pussy Riot performing in Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral is "extremist" and called for i...