Pussy Riot members Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova are suingtheRussian government for various human rights violations, reportsthe Guardian. The lawsuit, filed recently in theEuropean Court of Human Rights (ECHR), stems from the groupsMay 2012 arrestand subsequent 21-month prison sentence. Court documents indicate thatAlyokhina andTolokonnikova areseeking $161,000 each in compensation for treatment during both their sentenceand“pre-trial confinement,” plus another $13,437 in legal fees.
The human rights legal group Agora is representing the two women. Agoraoriginallyinitiated acomplaint back in 2012, shortly afterAlyokhina, Tolokonnikova, and a third member, Yekaterina Samutsevich, were arrested for hooliganism after performing their song “Mother of God, Drive Putin Out” at theChrist the Savior Cathedral. (Samutsevich was given a shortened sentenced and released six months later inOctober 2012.)
Among Agoras chief complaints, Russia violated at least four articles of the Europeanconvention on human rights, specifically the rights to “freedom of expression, liberty and security and a fair trial, and prohibiting torture.” Agora alleges that the schedules for the pairs trial hearings were unnecessarilystrict and that the officers use of glass detainment cells and escort dogs between hearings were “inhumane.”
Despite the obvious financial reparations, Agoras leader, Pavel Chikov, said the lawsuit is primarily a political gesture, with the goal to raise awareness. “They didn’t get fair trial here in Russia so they want to get it finally in the European court of human rights,” Chikov said. “Plus they want this case to set a precedent that Russians can speak publicly on sensitive political issues, even if this speech is not supported by majority. This is a case about freedom of expression and fair trial first of all.”
IfAlyokhina and Tolokonnikova do win their suit, Chikov saidthey willdonate the money to several human rights charities, including their own organization thatfocuses on systemic prison reform. Their next legal move would thenfocus on overturning their ongoing criminal convictions.
In response to the complaint, the Russian government hasissued a 35-page report, calling the suit“obviously unfounded.” The report reads, “Deliberately provocative behaviour in a place that is dedicated to the spiritual needs of believers and is a symbol of the Russian Orthodox community clearly undermines tolerance and cannot be seen as a normal, sincere exercise of the rights of the convention.”
As the Guardian points out, citizens of Russia seem to agree with their government. A recent study found that 86% of the population thought Pussy Riot should be punished, with the majority favoring a “large fine or forced labor.”
Since receiving amnesty last December,Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova have maintained busy public schedules.Theyve appeared on The Colbert Report, Charlie Rose, andThe Today Show; served as guests of honor at a human rights concert;held subsequent demonstrations in Sochi;joined Twitter;released a heavily-politicizedmusic video;and even plotted a forthcoming feature-length film.
