Free Pussy Riot

Three members of the Russian band Pussy Riot are still in jail. They were jailed in February for a performance/protest in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The band Pussy Riot is a feminist punk rock collective that stages guerrilla performances. They wear mini dresses and bright colored balaclavas when performing. Three members of the band Maria Alehina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were arrested in February and have been in jail since then. They are being charged with "hooliganism" and could face up to seven years in prison. Their protest was against Putin, his government and its policies. The members of the band that remain free have started a campaign to free the 3 incarcerated members two of whom have young children. They admit that what they did was meant to offend and they did it to protest the control of the church in the Russian government. They are now on trial. Pussy Riot has had great support in Russia as well as in other countries. Polls in Moscow have shown 50% of the people think they should be freed. There have some very well known supporters such as filmmaker Terry Gilliam, Adam Horovitz and Faith No More. Members of the band were on stage at a recent Faith No More concert in Moscow and lead singer Mike Patton made his encore wearing a balaclava and Pussy Riot t-shirt. Have things changed in Russia or is the draconian system of oppression still the rule of the day?