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The Russian Orthodox Church on Sunday asked for clemency for three jailed members of the rock band Pussy Riot if they repent for their “punk prayer” for deliverance from President Vladimir Putin.
A report by the Associated Press, however, said it was unclear whether the women, who were sentenced to two years last month, would offer a penitence sought by the Church and how much leniency a court may show.
In Sunday’s statement, the Church reaffirmed its condemnation of the women’s raucous stunt, saying such actions “can’t be left unpunished.” But it added that if the women show “penitence and reconsideration of their action,” their words “shouldn’t be left unnoticed.”
A Moscow appellate court, menwhile, postponed a hearing on Monday in the case of the punk protest band after one of three defendants said that she wanted to fire her lawyers because of disagreements.
Earlier this month, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that keeping the band members in prison any longer would be “unproductive.”
Putin himself reportedly said the women should not be judged too harshly.
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Maria Alekhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, were arrested in March after dancing and high-kicking at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral as they pleaded with the Virgin Mary to save Russia from Putin, who was elected to a third presidential term two weeks later.
They said during their trial in August that they were protesting the Russian Orthodox Church’s support for Putin and didn’t intend to offend religious believers.
Since his inauguration in May, Putin has taken an increasingly tough stance against dissent in response to a series of massive winter protests against his 13-year rule.
Violetta Volkova, one of the three lawyers for the women, said Friday after visiting a prison where the band members are being held that she had little hope for a fair sentence in a country where courts bow to the authorities.
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