Filmmakers Agnieszka Holland, Pedro Almodovar and Stephen Daldry and musicians Peter Gabriel and Roger Waters are among the scores of international artists who have added their names to a letter demanding the release of Pussy Riot’s Masha Alekhin and Lucy Shtein who appear in a Moscow court today, March 18. The letter will be submitted to the presiding judge.
Alekhin and Shtein have been under house arrest for two months after posting two Instagram demands for the release of political prisoners in Russia. Their posts were sent following the mass protests which followed the imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
It is anticipated that the house arrest will be extended for up to 18 months. The women are forbidden to leave their own flats, meet people or use the Internet. After house arrest, the pair could face up to two years in prison.
“Pussy Riot have been a major beacon of hope for democracy in Russia,” says Mike Downey, Chairman of the European Film Academy, “The courage of Masha Alekhina and Lucy Shtein, to selflessly stand up for human rights in Putin’s Russia is nothing short of heroic. Pussy Riot’s defence of freedom fighters like Oleg Sentsov and Alexei Navalny is a crucial barrier in the defence of democracy. On behalf of the European Film Academy, its president Agnieszka Holland and members like Pedro Almodovar, Stephen Daldry and Pawel Pawlikowski, we stand in solidarity with Pussy Riot and call on the Russian government to release them forthwith.’
The letter was originally written by Pussy Riot member Nadya Tolokonnikova. The full text reads as follows:
To Whom It May Concern,
“We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, call on the Russian government to immediately cease criminal prosecution of Pussy Riot band members Maria Alekhina and Lucy (Ludmila) Shtein. They face up to two years in prison for posts on social media advocating for the release of political prisoners in Russia. Ms. Alekhina has already spent two years in prison for performing the song ‘Virgin Mary, drive Putin away.’ Now she and other politicians and artists face charges of “inciting violations of sanitary regulations.”
“These baseless charges are part of the Russian government’s campaign to silence activists and discourage people from further protests stirred by corruption and the unfair and politically motivated imprisonment of Alexei Navalny.
“Ms. Alekhina’s imprisonment and her continued persecution under the guise of prosecution by Russian authorities directly violate international human rights laws and standards that protect freedom of thought, speech, and expression. These actions seek to oppress and persecute peaceful voices supporting democratic values in an effort to suppress any opposition against the authoritarian Russian government.
“We condemn the persecution of peaceful demonstrators who according to numerous reports are currently being beaten, tortured, imprisoned and ill-treated for participating in rallies. Persecution based on political opinion is unacceptable in any civilized society.
“We respectfully urge your government to drop all charges against Maria Alekhina and Lucy Shtein in observance of international human rights laws and standards. The international community of artists and human rights advocates around the world will continue to monitor their situation and press your government until you withdraw their cases.”
