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Re: Pussy Riot Found Guilty; US State Department weak

Posted by Olog-hai on Fri Aug 17 17:09:29 2012, in response to Re: Pussy Riot Found Guilty; Obama "Disappointed", posted by Olog-hai on Fri Aug 17 15:23:59 2012.

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State Dept.: Russia should 'review' Pussy Riot case

By BYRON TAU | 8/17/12 12:18 PM EDT

The State Department expressed its concern over the two-year jail sentence given to a Russian punk band over an anti-government stunt.

"The United States is concerned about both the verdict and the disproportionate sentences handed down by a Moscow court in the case against the members of the band Pussy Riot and the negative impact on freedom of expression in Russia," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

"We urge Russian authorities to review this case and ensure that the right to freedom of expression is upheld," Nuland said.

The band was convicted of "hooliganism" after an unauthorized performance in a Moscow cathedral where they performed a punk prayer to save the country from President Vladmir Putin.

While we understand the group's behavior was offensive to some, we have serious concerns about the way that these young women have been treated by the Russian judicial system," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

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