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| Pussy Riot verdict greeted with defiance | Pussy Riot verdict greeted with defiance |
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| Judge Marina Syrova's tone remained soft and monotonous throughout the three hours it took her to read the state's case against the three Pussy Riot members. But her message was steely and unyielding. "What they did was offensive to believers," Syrova said. "It was a crude violation of the social order." | Judge Marina Syrova's tone remained soft and monotonous throughout the three hours it took her to read the state's case against the three Pussy Riot members. But her message was steely and unyielding. "What they did was offensive to believers," Syrova said. "It was a crude violation of the social order." |
| From time to time, Syrova's words were punctuated by tinny clinks from the women's handcuffs as they crossed and uncrossed their arms. Sitting inside the glass cage they had occupied for nearly two weeks, they met the verdict – guilty – and the sentence – two years – with defiance. | From time to time, Syrova's words were punctuated by tinny clinks from the women's handcuffs as they crossed and uncrossed their arms. Sitting inside the glass cage they had occupied for nearly two weeks, they met the verdict – guilty – and the sentence – two years – with defiance. |
| The verdict against Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has been seen as much more than a ruling on three women who stood up to Vladimir Putin. It is also seen as an indication of the direction Putin's government will take, a sign of the fate in store for Russia. | The verdict against Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova has been seen as much more than a ruling on three women who stood up to Vladimir Putin. It is also seen as an indication of the direction Putin's government will take, a sign of the fate in store for Russia. |
| "What Putin wants, Putin gets," said an angry Pyotr Verzilov, Tolokonnikova's husband, outside the court. "That is the only thing to say." | "What Putin wants, Putin gets," said an angry Pyotr Verzilov, Tolokonnikova's husband, outside the court. "That is the only thing to say." |
| The three women are the most high-profile figures to face the wrath of a man who returned to the Kremlin this year amid a wave of protests. | The three women are the most high-profile figures to face the wrath of a man who returned to the Kremlin this year amid a wave of protests. |
| In the front row of the public gallery was Alexey Navalny, the opposition movement's de facto leader. He has also been charged and faces 10 years in prison. What he saw on Friday could be a warning of what is to come. | In the front row of the public gallery was Alexey Navalny, the opposition movement's de facto leader. He has also been charged and faces 10 years in prison. What he saw on Friday could be a warning of what is to come. |
| Around 40 people crammed into the shabby courtroom, as dozens of journalists were left stranded outside, blocked from entering by burly police. More police and special forces troops were in the courtroom. Two of the latter, in full gear and black berets, stood in front of the judge, who had requested state protection after reporting threats against her. A rottweiler lay on the floor of the courtroom. A German shepherd stood guard outside. | Around 40 people crammed into the shabby courtroom, as dozens of journalists were left stranded outside, blocked from entering by burly police. More police and special forces troops were in the courtroom. Two of the latter, in full gear and black berets, stood in front of the judge, who had requested state protection after reporting threats against her. A rottweiler lay on the floor of the courtroom. A German shepherd stood guard outside. |
| Syrova repeated witness testimonies that the three women had offended Orthodox believers by wearing bright clothes inside a church, by "making sharp aggressive movements", and by wearing their trademark balaclavas. She also read the words to the anti-Putin punk prayer they performed in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Inside their cage, the women laughed as she quoted the lyrics: "Shit, shit, holy shit!" | Syrova repeated witness testimonies that the three women had offended Orthodox believers by wearing bright clothes inside a church, by "making sharp aggressive movements", and by wearing their trademark balaclavas. She also read the words to the anti-Putin punk prayer they performed in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Inside their cage, the women laughed as she quoted the lyrics: "Shit, shit, holy shit!" |
| As Syrova argued against their feminism, saying that the Russian constitution "protected the rights of men and women equally", they laughed again. | As Syrova argued against their feminism, saying that the Russian constitution "protected the rights of men and women equally", they laughed again. |
| When protesters gathered outside the courthouse performed the band's new single, Putin Lights Up the Fires, and the music faintly entered the courtroom, Tolokonnikova smiled widely, raising her clasped hands in victory. | When protesters gathered outside the courthouse performed the band's new single, Putin Lights Up the Fires, and the music faintly entered the courtroom, Tolokonnikova smiled widely, raising her clasped hands in victory. |
| Outside, hundreds of Muscovites, many wearing Pussy Riot T-shirts, some in balaclavas, had gathered near the court. Supporters of the government and church were fewer; many took to social networks instead. Eduard Bagirov, a prominent writer who campaigned for Putin earlier this year, wrote on Twitter: "Not one normal Russian person would ever support the 'acts' of these cunts. Note that only emigrants, fags and kikes support them." | Outside, hundreds of Muscovites, many wearing Pussy Riot T-shirts, some in balaclavas, had gathered near the court. Supporters of the government and church were fewer; many took to social networks instead. Eduard Bagirov, a prominent writer who campaigned for Putin earlier this year, wrote on Twitter: "Not one normal Russian person would ever support the 'acts' of these cunts. Note that only emigrants, fags and kikes support them." |
| The case against Pussy Riot has ruptured any pretence of decorum in the growing split between those who align themselves with Putin's government and those who oppose it. | The case against Pussy Riot has ruptured any pretence of decorum in the growing split between those who align themselves with Putin's government and those who oppose it. |
| "Pussy Riot's act inside the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is not the stupidity of young girls, but part of the global conspiracy against Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church," Sergei Markov, a Kremlin-connected analyst, wrote in a widely circulated editorial on Friday. "According to this version [of events], Putin isn't obliged to just punish three idiots in a fatherly way, but also protect Russia from this conspiracy with all possible severity." | "Pussy Riot's act inside the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is not the stupidity of young girls, but part of the global conspiracy against Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church," Sergei Markov, a Kremlin-connected analyst, wrote in a widely circulated editorial on Friday. "According to this version [of events], Putin isn't obliged to just punish three idiots in a fatherly way, but also protect Russia from this conspiracy with all possible severity." |
| The band was formed in response to Putin's decision to come back to the presidency. What began as a radical fringe movement has brought tens of thousands of people on to the streets to protest against what they saw as the death knell of Russia's brief experiment with democracy. The government's response to them has pushed them into the mainstream. Maya Trapeznikova, a 25-year-old protester outside the court, said: "I came here because they are going to jail for doing what we have all wanted to do in the depths of our souls." Of the protest movement, she said: "We're trying to remain peaceful. But many are reaching their limits and waiting for the order to go to battle." | The band was formed in response to Putin's decision to come back to the presidency. What began as a radical fringe movement has brought tens of thousands of people on to the streets to protest against what they saw as the death knell of Russia's brief experiment with democracy. The government's response to them has pushed them into the mainstream. Maya Trapeznikova, a 25-year-old protester outside the court, said: "I came here because they are going to jail for doing what we have all wanted to do in the depths of our souls." Of the protest movement, she said: "We're trying to remain peaceful. But many are reaching their limits and waiting for the order to go to battle." |
| On Friday morning, balaclavas had appeared on some of Moscow's most prominent monuments – on the writer and national hero Alexander Pushkin, and on a sculpture of scientist Mikhail Lomonosov in front of the university, as well as a statue of a Kazakh poet that became the centre of a brief anti-Putin occupy movement in the spring. | On Friday morning, balaclavas had appeared on some of Moscow's most prominent monuments – on the writer and national hero Alexander Pushkin, and on a sculpture of scientist Mikhail Lomonosov in front of the university, as well as a statue of a Kazakh poet that became the centre of a brief anti-Putin occupy movement in the spring. |
| A day before the verdict, Tolokonnikova wrote in a letter from the detention centre where they have been held since their arrest in March: "Whatever the verdict for Pussy Riot, we and you have already won. Because we have learned to be angry and speak politically." | A day before the verdict, Tolokonnikova wrote in a letter from the detention centre where they have been held since their arrest in March: "Whatever the verdict for Pussy Riot, we and you have already won. Because we have learned to be angry and speak politically." |
| Navalny led the courtroom in shouts of "Shame!" after the sentence was read. Speeding down the stairs to greet the scrum of journalists outside, he said that Putin had personally ordered the sentence. "This shows that he's scared of them," he said. "And it shows what our justice system is." | Navalny led the courtroom in shouts of "Shame!" after the sentence was read. Speeding down the stairs to greet the scrum of journalists outside, he said that Putin had personally ordered the sentence. "This shows that he's scared of them," he said. "And it shows what our justice system is." |
| Hundreds of protesters remained as the women were driven away to begin their sentence. Dozens were arrested. Fresh protests are planned for Sunday. | Hundreds of protesters remained as the women were driven away to begin their sentence. Dozens were arrested. Fresh protests are planned for Sunday. |
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