Free Pussy Riot!

[SamuelJ]

Freedom of Speech for the win!

[Aethelwulf]

They received two years. Seems more political than anything else, and weird that blasphemy is considered a hate crime.

[Padawan Pete]

Why did they go onto private property and do that, that's just stupid. Could they not sing their song from a public area like a street?

[Mip]

The conviction was basically for disrupting a church service with a protest song/prayer against the close ties between church and state. That is hooliganism apparantly. Sentenced to two years in labor camp.

[Padawan Pete]

They received two years. Seems more political than anything else, and weird that blasphemy is considered a hate crime.

If I went to a private feminist groups gathering and sang a song about how much I want to rape woman, I would expect a conviction. Just saying.

[Aethelwulf]

If I went to a private feminist groups gathering and sang a song about how much I want to rape woman, I would expect a conviction. Just saying.

I can see your point here. One of the issues, though, is whether or not the punishment fits the crime. Also, there are allegations that they have been mistreated in confinement.

[Padawan Pete]

Interesting is there a news link?

[Bluejet24]

2 years in a labor camp seems harsh.. Was it their first offense?

For that crime, a few months (max) plus probation seems fair

[Aethelwulf]

You probably wouldn't consider it the best source, but there's a lot of detail about it on wikipedia.

[Aethelwulf]

news link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012...?newsfeed=true