Several leading musicians have called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to ensure the three members of Russian punk group Pussy Riot, in court on charges of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”, are given a fair hearing. In a letter to the Times (£) today, musicians including Alex Kapranis of rock band Franz Ferdinand, Johnny Marr of the Smiths and The Who’s Pete Townshend, said the charge against the trio was “preposterous”. “We believe firmly that it is the role of the artist to make legitimate political protest and fight for freedom of speech,” the signatories added.
NEWS
UK: Leading musicians call for Pussy Riot release
Several leading musicians have called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to ensure the three members of Russian punk group Pussy Riot, in court on charges of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”, are given a fair hearing. In a letter to the Times (£) today, musicians including Alex Kapranis of rock band Franz Ferdinand, Johnny Marr of […]
By Marta Cooper
02 Aug 12
READ MORE
-
The week in free expression
Index rounds up some of the biggest stories in the global free speech landscape from the past seven days
-
Mother’s Day 2025: Celebrating the women taking on authoritarian regimes
From Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to Laila Soueif, we pay tribute to mothers around the world who are fighting unimaginable battles for free speech and...
-
Power to the people?
Our fundamental right to protest is being eroded in the UK and USA
-
Students versus the state in Serbia
As huge protests continue to take place, harassment and violence are escalating