Russian punk stars plan to appeal jail sentences

Lawyers representing the two jailed Pussy Riot bandmates have confirmed reports they will be appealing the women’s hooliganism conviction. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina have served close to half of a two-year sentence handed down by a Moscow court last August (13) after they were found guilty of organising a protest concert in a city church.
A third member of the group, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was also convicted for her part in the gig, but her sentence was suspended last October (12) and she walked free.
Alyokhina’s lawyer Irina Khrunova has revealed she hopes to present the appeal to the Russian Supreme Court based on the argument that the verdict was illegal.
The appeal news comes just two months after her client’s bid to win parole was rejected in late May (13). Khrunova also hopes to challenge that decision.