When the Church has the power of the state behind it:

Pussy Riot: UK music stars publish protest letter

Some of Britain’s leading musicians have published a letter calling for Russian officials to release a punk band that has been jailed following a protest in Moscow’s main cathedral.

Pete Townshend, Jarvis Cocker, Neil Tennant and others call for the release of the three members of Pussy Riot in a letter published on Thursday in The Times.

The musicians say the band members were involved in legitimate protest and should not be facing up to seven years in jail for their actions.

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The letter adds: “Dissent is a right in any democracy and it is entirely disproportionate that they face seven years in jail for what we consider a preposterous charge of ‘hooliganism motivated by religious hatred’.

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“We believe firmly that it is the role of the artist to make legitimate political protest and fight for freedom of speech.”

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