We are announcing 17 August a Day of Solidarity against the verdict on Pussy Riot, against authoritarian regime of machismo, against the rule of sexism, homophobia and nationalists.
On 17 August 2012, the unjust verdict was issued against the three members of Pussy Riot, with two of them sentenced to 2 years in labour camps. That symbolized the increasing oppression of freedom of speech and expression, discrimination against artists & musicians, and repression of Feminist movement in Russia.We are announcing 17 August a Day of Solidarity against the verdict on Pussy Riot, against authoritarian regime of machismo, against the rule of sexism, homophobia and nationalists.Presently, the two members of Pussy Riot, Maria Aleykhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, are the prisoners in labour-camps and are subjected to the harsh realities of Russian prison system. Ekaterina Samutsevich was released on probation and is under restriction of movement. However, all the convicted members , as well as those members of Pussy Riot, who are free, are innocent. It is evident to anyone who followed the trial, that the case had been fabricated, and the verdict was unjust.
Therefore, we demand immediate release of Nadezhda and Maria, full drop of all charges against them, and complete termination of prosecution of the Pussy Riot.
We demand that inalienable human rights and freedoms, entrenched in the International Convention on Human Rights and the Russian Constitution, be respected.
We demand freedom of speech, freedom of expression, gender parity, social equality. We demand immediate termination of all types of discrimination, taking place in Russia.
Only within a year time, since the moment of the verdict against PR, Russian state has passed a number of discriminatory laws, which jeopardize freedom of expression and human rights even further. Russian state has also sanctioned a number of new unjust political cases. From the moment of incarceration of the three members of PR, solidarity events have been continuously held all around the world, and it is in this spirit, we are going to fight till the victory is ours !
On 17 August - the day of solidarity against the unjust verdict - we are inviting all of you to join us in our solidarity movement: write letters to Maria and Nadezhda, create and sign petitions, stage art, feminist, anti-authoritarian events, sing, paint, create banners and slogans, organize gigs and concerts, flash-mobs, have pickets, protests, exhibitions, readings...
Please, do inform us about your actions & events, with photos, to be posted at freepussyriot.org and in twitter.com/freepussyriot - for coordination with other activists in your regions - and/or email to us at pussyriotsolidarity@gmail.com, and twitter #freepussyriot17813 or #freepussyriot