Monthly Archives: May 2012

Three members of the Russian punk protest band Pussy Riot await trial.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Oslo, Norway (CNN) -- Here's a quick way to get arrested in modern Russia: Walk into a cathedral wearing a neon mask and carrying a guitar, stand on the pulpit and scream punk songs with lyrics like "Virgin Mary drive Putin away!"

Throw in a few more obscenities, and that's how three members of the punk band Pussy Riot ended up in Russian prison in early March, after criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin, who the group says is in bed with the Russian Orthodox Church and is unfairly cracking down on free speech.

Three of its members are still in prison and have been charged with "hooliganism," a crime that carries a maximum sentence of seven years, according to news reports.

Before that, the all-female, anonymous band had performed on top of a prison and on Red Square in Moscow, the capital. Their performances on YouTube attract hundreds of thousands of views. After the arrest, punk rockers in cities as far away as San Francisco put on public performances in solidarity with the group. Pussy Riot, in its own controversial way, has become a symbol of the protest movement in Russia.

"Everyone loves the Sex Pistols, and no one likes punk bands being arrested for singing," said Pyotr Verzilov, a manager for the band who talked with CNN at a recent human rights conference in Norway, where he was speaking on Pussy Riot's behalf.

The band has drawn comparisons to other Western punk bands, including the Ramones. "Unlike their British and American forerunners, however," writes Bloomberg Businessweek, "the Russian rockers have something very real to be angry about, starting with their own imprisonment."

Some say Putin is cracking down unfairly on the band at a time when protesters continue to gather in the capital; others that Pussy Riot defiled the church and should be punished. Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, called their cathedral performance blasphemy, according to RIA Novosti, the state-owned news agency.

A priest, writing in Russia Today, said that "to try to label such a performance in a church as a political protest doesn't make it any more acceptable."

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Jailed punk band Pussy Riot pushes free speech limits in Russia

Three members of the Russian punk protest band Pussy Riot await trial.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Oslo, Norway (CNN) -- Here's a quick way to get arrested in modern Russia: Walk into a cathedral wearing a neon mask and carrying a guitar, stand on the pulpit and scream punk songs with lyrics like "Virgin Mary drive Putin away!"

Throw in a few more obscenities, and that's how three members of the punk band Pussy Riot ended up in Russian prison in early March, after criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin, who the group says is in bed with the Russian Orthodox Church and is unfairly cracking down on free speech.

Three of its members are still in prison and have been charged with "hooliganism," a crime that carries a maximum sentence of seven years, according to news reports.

Before that, the all-female, anonymous band had performed on top of a prison and on Red Square in Moscow, the capital. Their performances on YouTube attract hundreds of thousands of views. After the arrest, punk rockers in cities as far away as San Francisco put on public performances in solidarity with the group. Pussy Riot, in its own controversial way, has become a symbol of the protest movement in Russia.

"Everyone loves the Sex Pistols, and no one likes punk bands being arrested for singing," said Pyotr Verzilov, a manager for the band who talked with CNN at a recent human rights conference in Norway, where he was speaking on Pussy Riot's behalf.

The band has drawn comparisons to other Western punk bands, including the Ramones. "Unlike their British and American forerunners, however," writes Bloomberg Businessweek, "the Russian rockers have something very real to be angry about, starting with their own imprisonment."

Some say Putin is cracking down unfairly on the band at a time when protesters continue to gather in the capital; others that Pussy Riot defiled the church and should be punished. Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, called their cathedral performance blasphemy, according to RIA Novosti, the state-owned news agency.

A priest, writing in Russia Today, said that "to try to label such a performance in a church as a political protest doesn't make it any more acceptable."

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Jailed punk band pushes free speech limits in Russia

A group of anti-government youth activists including rapper Hexplosivo Mental were attacked, beaten and some hospitalised during a meeting in the Angolan capital Luanda, prompting Amnesty International to call for a full and impartial investigation into the incident.

Hexplosivo Mental, known for his anti-government lyrics, along with Angolan activists and human rights defenders have been the target of numerous assaults and intimidations in recent months.

This brutal beating highlights the ongoing threat of violence that anyone speaking up for free speech in Angola faces, said Muluka-Anne Miti, Amnesty Internationals Angola researcher. The Angolan authorities must protect the rights of this group and others to freedom of association and assembly. They need to take steps immediately to protect these freedoms by ensuring that an independent investigation is carried out and those responsible are brought to justice.

This latest assault took place on Tuesday evening in the house of popular rap musician Carbono Casimiro, whose home reportedly came under attack from unknown gunmen last year.

The activists, who have set up the website Central 7311 which among other things documents violence in relation to peaceful demonstrations in the country, were also attacked while trying to hold a protest in Luanda in March this year.

Since March 2011, several demonstrations in Luanda calling for an end to President Jos Eduardo dos Santos 32 year rule have been met with excessive force by police, including the apparent improper use of dogs and firearms against those protesting peacefully.

Unknown individuals have reportedly infiltrated the demonstrations, vandalized property and beaten protestors and journalists covering the protests.

Police have failed to respond to violence perpetuated by these individuals and rather than arresting alleged infiltrators, protestors and journalists have been arbitrarily detained.

Youths who have helped organise peaceful protests against the President since last year, as well as some journalists who have covered these demonstrations, have also received personal threats from anonymous individuals telling them to stop demonstrating or face the consequences.

In March 2012 an anonymous group claiming to be defenders of national peace, security and democracy started distributing notes in Luanda stating that they would not allow protestors to create confusion and disorder..

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Angola: Protect free speech as youth activists attacked

Three members of the Russian punk protest band Pussy Riot await trial.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Oslo, Norway (CNN) -- Here's a quick way to get arrested in modern Russia: Walk into a cathedral wearing a neon mask and carrying a guitar, stand on the pulpit and scream punk songs with lyrics like "Virgin Mary drive Putin away!"

Throw in a few more obscenities, and that's how three members of the punk band Pussy Riot ended up in Russian prison in early March, after criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin, who the group says is in bed with the Russian Orthodox Church and is unfairly cracking down on free speech.

Three of its members are still in prison and have been charged with "hooliganism," a crime that carries a maximum sentence of seven years, according to news reports.

Before that, the all-female, anonymous band had performed on top of a prison and on Red Square in Moscow, the capital. Their performances on YouTube attract hundreds of thousands of views. After the arrest, punk rockers in cities as far away as San Francisco put on public performances in solidarity with the group. Pussy Riot, in its own controversial way, has become a symbol of the protest movement in Russia.

"Everyone loves the Sex Pistols, and no one likes punk bands being arrested for singing," said Pyotr Verzilov, a manager for the band who talked with CNN at a recent human rights conference in Norway, where he was speaking on Pussy Riot's behalf.

The band has drawn comparisons to other Western punk bands, including the Ramones. "Unlike their British and American forerunners, however," writes Bloomberg Businessweek, "the Russian rockers have something very real to be angry about, starting with their own imprisonment."

Some say Putin is cracking down unfairly on the band at a time when protesters continue to gather in the capital; others that Pussy Riot defiled the church and should be punished. Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, called their cathedral performance blasphemy, according to RIA Novosti, the state-owned news agency.

A priest, writing in Russia Today, said that "to try to label such a performance in a church as a political protest doesn't make it any more acceptable."

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Punk band tests free-speech limits in Russia