UPDATE 11 October 2012: At an appeal hearing on 10 October, the Moscow City Court gave Ekaterina a suspended sentence and released her conditionally. The court upheld jail sentences for fellow Pussy Riot members Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova. Please continue to take action to call for the women's immediate and unconditional release. Take action

Three Russian women, imprisoned for speaking out

Maria Alekhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevich were each sentenced to two years in prison on 17 August 2012, after a Moscow court found them guilty of ‘hooliganism… on grounds of religious hatred’ for performing as members of feminist punk collective Pussy Riot in an Orthodox cathedral in early 2012. The Moscow courts must respect the women’s right to free speech and release them.

Punk prisoners of conscience

We believe that the three women have been punished for their politically-charged messages and challenging of the Russian State authorities – not, as the courts claim, for ‘religious hatred’ and ‘hooliganism’. They’re prisoners of conscience, sentenced for speaking out.

Relentless persecution by authorities

We’re concerned that two other members of Pussy Riot, not charged alongside the three detained women, are on a Moscow police ‘wanted list’. The city authorities have launched a clear campaign of criminal persecution against the members of Pussy Riot. We’re asking for the persecution to stop.

Please continue to send appeals

We welcome the conditional release of Ekaterina, though we still believe none of the women should have been prosecuted in the first place. We continue to call for the release of Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, and for the authorities to ensure they are not mistreated in custody.

Take action now!