The non-governmental organisation Human Rights Institute plans to organise a concert by the controversial Russian band Pussy Riot, announcing the news on the same day judges rejected a second appeal for parole by one of the band’s members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova. The organisation’s head Peter Weisenbacher said that they want to intensify the pressure on Russia, adding that they have already informed the Russian Embassy to Slovakia, the SITA newswire reported on July 26.
The court had already rejected the appeal of another member of the band, Maria Alyokhina on July 24. The band members were sentenced to two years in jail in August 2012 for “hooliganism” after performing and recording an anti-Putin song in Moscow cathedral.
“We invited members of Pussy Riot to Slovakia similarly to other organisations which invited them to their countries, to let the public know about how the real situation in Russia is,” said Alena Krempaská of Human Rights Institute, as quoted by SITA, adding that they do not know whether the concert will take place next year or in 2015. Krempaská said entrance will be for free.
The arrest and trial with the band members resulted in protests across the globe, including one in Bratislava last year in front of the Russian Embassy. The Human Rights Institute collected more than 1,000 signatures asking for the release of the band members. Other NGOs including Rainbow Slovakia, Generation 89 and Public Galleries, are supporting the concert, SITA reported.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
29. Jul 2013 at 14:00
