"The Russian feminist dissident group Pussy Riot could soon be labeled an "extremist" organization as part of the country's recent attempts to quell dissent. Russia's prosecutor general opened a case against the feminist art group on Friday, November 28. The "extremist" label, commonly deployed by the government as justification for stifling political opposition, would officially ban the collective's activities in Russia following a suite of prosecutorial actions against its members for anti-government performance art in recent years."
"Best known for the 2012 anti-Putin protest performance "Punk Prayer" in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior, members of the collective, including Tolokonnikova, were sentenced to two years in prison for " hooliganism on the grounds of religious hatred." In September, A Moscow court sentenced five Pussy Riot members to prison in absentia related to performances that criticized Vladimir Putin's regime."
Russian prosecutors opened a case to designate Pussy Riot as an "extremist" organization, a label used to ban groups and suppress political opposition. A Moscow court will hold a hearing on December 15 to determine the designation. The collective gained notoriety for the 2012 "Punk Prayer" protest, which led to prison sentences for members on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. In September, five members were sentenced in absentia for performances critical of Vladimir Putin's regime. The extremist designation would further restrict activities, increase legal penalties for association, and intensify pressure on collaborators and supporters.
Read at Hyperallergic
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