Russian Court Hears Pussy Riot Appeal

Posted October 10th, 2012 at 4:30 am (UTC-5)
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A Russian court has opened an appeal hearing for members of a punk band who were sentenced to two years prison for holding an unsanctioned anti-Kremlin protest at a Moscow cathedral.

The three female punk rockers from the band Pussy Riot were convicted in August of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.

The Moscow City Court began the hearing Wednesday after an earlier appeal hearing was postponed when one of the defendants requested a new lawyer.

The trio was arrested on the altar of Russia's most prominent Orthodox cathedral, after they called on the Virgin Mary to deliver them from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Band members say they were merely voicing their opinion and did not mean to offend anyone.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said that he thought the punishment was very strict. However, President Vladimir Putin recently said that the court ruling was correct.