Moscow: The Russian presidential human rights council is questioning the guilty verdict and two-year prison sentences against three members of punk provocateurs Pussy Riot.
The council said in a statement late yesterday that "criminal law was used to deal with actions which entail administrative liability only" in the case. Members also questioned why the court did not impose suspended sentences on two of the three women who have small children.
Council members expressed dismay over a decision to keep Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich hand-cuffed in a bullet-proof glass cage during the hearing of the verdict.
"We are confident that the civil society has the right to demand that Russian justice be governed by the truth and mercy," the council said.
The council is an independent advisory body appointed by the president and its recommendations are not binding. All of its members were appointed under former President Dmitry Medvedev.
The group is up for a reshuffle since some of its most critical members have resigned, saying that they don`t want to work under President Vladimir Putin. The new council could be less critical, but has had very little sway over government decisions.
The three women were found guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred earlier this month after performing a "punk prayer" against Putin in Moscow`s main cathedral. The verdict caused protests and outrage both in Russia and abroad.
The women on Monday filed an appeal of the verdict which is expected to be heard within the following 10 days.
Meanwhile, the band said at least two of its members have fled Russia to avoid arrest.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.