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Pussy Riot trial in Moscow erupts in chaos  August 5, 2012 The central Khamovniki court in Moscow erupted in chaos Friday when defense witnesses for Pussy Riot – the three feminist punk rockers charged in what many consider a political show trial – were denied the opportunity to testify on the musicians’ behalf. After the prosecution read a statement from their absent last witness (the senior priest at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral), the Pussy Riot defense team demanded that Judge Marina Syrova order guards to let in their witnesses, who have been kept out of the building. Syrova repeatedly ignored motions for witness testimonies. A huge barking Rottweiler kept in the courtroom, and three men in balaclavas outside yelling “Free Pussy Riot,” escalated the mayhem. Two of the girls’ college professors and a friend were allowed to testify on the defendants’ character. One noted that bandmember Maria Alyokhina, 24, is a poet who volunteers at a hospital run by a Christian Orthodox organization. Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, was characterized as a good student. A witness who was supposed to testify on the character of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, could not be found. The prosecution questioned four other witnesses this week, including two women who cleaned the Bogoyavlensky Cathedral, where part of the video was filmed; a real estate agent who saw the video online and believes Pussy Riot declared war on God, Christianity and the government; and Samutsevich’s father, who called the arrest and trial absurd. Syrova pushed some sessions this week up to 12 hours, which is a sign that the authorities want to close the case as soon as possible, according to Polozov. The longer the trial lasts, the more controversy it appears to be gathering. On Thursday the Russian law association published an open letter, signed by 35 prominent lawyers, declaring that the Pussy Riot cathedral performance was no crime. President Vladimir Putin told journalists in London Thursday that although he believes there is nothing good about what the women have done, they should not be punished too severely. But such statements have had no effect on the trial, Polozov said. “This isn’t a trial – it’s total chaos,” he said. Source

Pussy Riot trial in Moscow erupts in chaos 

August 5, 2012

The central Khamovniki court in Moscow erupted in chaos Friday when defense witnesses for Pussy Riot – the three feminist punk rockers charged in what many consider a political show trial – were denied the opportunity to testify on the musicians’ behalf.

After the prosecution read a statement from their absent last witness (the senior priest at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral), the Pussy Riot defense team demanded that Judge Marina Syrova order guards to let in their witnesses, who have been kept out of the building. Syrova repeatedly ignored motions for witness testimonies. A huge barking Rottweiler kept in the courtroom, and three men in balaclavas outside yelling “Free Pussy Riot,” escalated the mayhem.

Two of the girls’ college professors and a friend were allowed to testify on the defendants’ character. One noted that bandmember Maria Alyokhina, 24, is a poet who volunteers at a hospital run by a Christian Orthodox organization. Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, was characterized as a good student. A witness who was supposed to testify on the character of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, could not be found.

The prosecution questioned four other witnesses this week, including two women who cleaned the Bogoyavlensky Cathedral, where part of the video was filmed; a real estate agent who saw the video online and believes Pussy Riot declared war on God, Christianity and the government; and Samutsevich’s father, who called the arrest and trial absurd.

Syrova pushed some sessions this week up to 12 hours, which is a sign that the authorities want to close the case as soon as possible, according to Polozov. The longer the trial lasts, the more controversy it appears to be gathering.

On Thursday the Russian law association published an open letter, signed by 35 prominent lawyers, declaring that the Pussy Riot cathedral performance was no crime. President Vladimir Putin told journalists in London Thursday that although he believes there is nothing good about what the women have done, they should not be punished too severely.

But such statements have had no effect on the trial, Polozov said. “This isn’t a trial – it’s total chaos,” he said.

Source

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