In Defense of Artistic Freedom and the Freedom of Expression: Political Dissent in Russia through art and music
This letter is in support of the rock/punk group Pussy Riot which has been in jail since March.
This writer is in complete solidarity to the said punk group who as of the moment are languishing in jail by virtue of their political dissent and ideological objection to the policies and regime of Mr. Putin.
The said anti-Putin protest which is composed of the various section of the Russian population that ranges from the intellectuals, to the member of the political opposition, students, workers, artistes, and ordinary people, has fomented so much unrest, and which was originally considered blasphemous by many, but it did not involve violence, neither vandalism, or lewd actions, but the women who are member of the said protest, now in jail are still facing serious charges that many now feel are too severe and stiff.
It is the contention of this author that those artistes are being detained not because they violated a grave law, but because they are member of the opposition group that is against the present form of government in Russia.
They are prisoner of conscience! They are artistic and political detainees. They should be release immediately!
As reported by the AFP:
“Pussy Riot is the name of the punk trio currently detained pending trial for protest against President Putin last February.
“Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alekhina face up to seven years if jailed, after having barged into a Moscow church to sing a “punk prayer” calling for the overthrow of Putin.”
Though, I do not condone the act or the means used by the said group and that is disturbing a religious ceremony, it is my firm view, that the time that they have spent in detention is more than enough for them to be release.
Yet, as the media reported, “the three have already been held in detention since March and on Friday a Moscow court ordered them for another six months, until January 12.”
It is my uncompromising stand that the said court is a rubber stamp and not worthy to be called a court.
The antecedent of the whole case stems from the fact that five masked girls from the said Pussy Riot band allegedly performed an anti-Putin song at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral on February 21.
They performed an anti-Putin chant clad in bright balaclavas and skirts before security took them off of the premises.
The following month, three band members were arrested.
Maria Alehina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova have spent the last four months in jail. The Khamovnichesky Court in Moscow has ruled that the three will remain in detention for another six months.
I am terribly confused of what the true crime or charge or indictment or complaint was being face by these rockers. Is it the disturbance that they had committed in the church or is it because of their political stand which is inconvenient and not in conformity with Putin?
For purposes of clarity, let me state that if the charge is the disturbance and the annoyance that they carried out in the church; then the time that they spent in jail is enough for them to be release. Now, if the true indictment is the latter, then Russia must answer to the international community by virtue of the fact that the powers that be in Moscow is violating the rights and dignity of these individuals --- whose rights and freedom are guaranteed by international law and universal convention.
On this juncture, I would like to highlight my admiration to the courageous act and noble deeds done by Anthony Kiedis (he is the lead singer of the US rock band, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers) by throwing his lot and giving his backing to the said jailed Russian punk group.
During a Moscow concert, Kiedis performed with his band at the city’s Luzniky stadium wearing a tee-shirt emblazoned with “Pussy Riot”.
Another artist that I would like to commend is Pyotr Pavlensky.
St. Petersburg’s My Neighbourhood newspaper reported that:
“In support of the jailed punk group Pussy Riot, a St. Petersburg artist has sewn his mouth shut, and paraded through the city’s Kazansky Cathedral.
“Pyotr Pavlensky, looking pale and thin and wearing a black sweater, walked into the Kazansky Cathedral carrying a placard in support of Pussy Riot, with his mouth closed by red string.
“The man’s poster read: “Pussy Riot performance was a remake of a famed Jesus Christ’s deed (mf. 21:12-13).”
Apparently, the said poster “specifically referred to an episode in the Jesus Christ Superstar 1973 film adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice rock opera”.
Pyotr Pavlensky’s assistant told the media that:
“With this action Pyotr Pavlensky calls on the believers to find powers to understand that Christian culture is inseparable from Christ’s deeds, and on artists to overcome their fears and at least once state their opinion frankly and openly.”
I call upon the Amnesty International, the United Nation’s Human Rights Committee, all Humanists and Artists of the world to come together and join our hands and forge a collective will and unified solidarity to the sad plight of these young and poor women whose only fault is to exercise their right to artistic expression and freedom of expression though protest/punk/rock music and political dissent!
We must all work together to free the Pussy Riot band out of jail. Their place in society is in the world of the stage, not in the coldness and darkness of detention.
To the Pussy Riot punk group; my fellow artist, keep the faith and hang in there. Lastly, please allow me to leave you a central quote from one the poems of one of the national artists of the Philippines, Amado V. Hernadez:
“You can imprison my body; but you can never imprison my mind.”
Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
Subang Jaya, Darul Ehsan,
Selangor, Malaysia
This letter is in support of the rock/punk group Pussy Riot which has been in jail since March.
This writer is in complete solidarity to the said punk group who as of the moment are languishing in jail by virtue of their political dissent and ideological objection to the policies and regime of Mr. Putin.
The said anti-Putin protest which is composed of the various section of the Russian population that ranges from the intellectuals, to the member of the political opposition, students, workers, artistes, and ordinary people, has fomented so much unrest, and which was originally considered blasphemous by many, but it did not involve violence, neither vandalism, or lewd actions, but the women who are member of the said protest, now in jail are still facing serious charges that many now feel are too severe and stiff.
It is the contention of this author that those artistes are being detained not because they violated a grave law, but because they are member of the opposition group that is against the present form of government in Russia.
They are prisoner of conscience! They are artistic and political detainees. They should be release immediately!
As reported by the AFP:
“Pussy Riot is the name of the punk trio currently detained pending trial for protest against President Putin last February.
“Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alekhina face up to seven years if jailed, after having barged into a Moscow church to sing a “punk prayer” calling for the overthrow of Putin.”
Though, I do not condone the act or the means used by the said group and that is disturbing a religious ceremony, it is my firm view, that the time that they have spent in detention is more than enough for them to be release.
Yet, as the media reported, “the three have already been held in detention since March and on Friday a Moscow court ordered them for another six months, until January 12.”
It is my uncompromising stand that the said court is a rubber stamp and not worthy to be called a court.
The antecedent of the whole case stems from the fact that five masked girls from the said Pussy Riot band allegedly performed an anti-Putin song at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral on February 21.
They performed an anti-Putin chant clad in bright balaclavas and skirts before security took them off of the premises.
The following month, three band members were arrested.
Maria Alehina, Ekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova have spent the last four months in jail. The Khamovnichesky Court in Moscow has ruled that the three will remain in detention for another six months.
I am terribly confused of what the true crime or charge or indictment or complaint was being face by these rockers. Is it the disturbance that they had committed in the church or is it because of their political stand which is inconvenient and not in conformity with Putin?
For purposes of clarity, let me state that if the charge is the disturbance and the annoyance that they carried out in the church; then the time that they spent in jail is enough for them to be release. Now, if the true indictment is the latter, then Russia must answer to the international community by virtue of the fact that the powers that be in Moscow is violating the rights and dignity of these individuals --- whose rights and freedom are guaranteed by international law and universal convention.
On this juncture, I would like to highlight my admiration to the courageous act and noble deeds done by Anthony Kiedis (he is the lead singer of the US rock band, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers) by throwing his lot and giving his backing to the said jailed Russian punk group.
During a Moscow concert, Kiedis performed with his band at the city’s Luzniky stadium wearing a tee-shirt emblazoned with “Pussy Riot”.
Another artist that I would like to commend is Pyotr Pavlensky.
St. Petersburg’s My Neighbourhood newspaper reported that:
“In support of the jailed punk group Pussy Riot, a St. Petersburg artist has sewn his mouth shut, and paraded through the city’s Kazansky Cathedral.
“Pyotr Pavlensky, looking pale and thin and wearing a black sweater, walked into the Kazansky Cathedral carrying a placard in support of Pussy Riot, with his mouth closed by red string.
“The man’s poster read: “Pussy Riot performance was a remake of a famed Jesus Christ’s deed (mf. 21:12-13).”
Apparently, the said poster “specifically referred to an episode in the Jesus Christ Superstar 1973 film adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice rock opera”.
Pyotr Pavlensky’s assistant told the media that:
“With this action Pyotr Pavlensky calls on the believers to find powers to understand that Christian culture is inseparable from Christ’s deeds, and on artists to overcome their fears and at least once state their opinion frankly and openly.”
I call upon the Amnesty International, the United Nation’s Human Rights Committee, all Humanists and Artists of the world to come together and join our hands and forge a collective will and unified solidarity to the sad plight of these young and poor women whose only fault is to exercise their right to artistic expression and freedom of expression though protest/punk/rock music and political dissent!
We must all work together to free the Pussy Riot band out of jail. Their place in society is in the world of the stage, not in the coldness and darkness of detention.
To the Pussy Riot punk group; my fellow artist, keep the faith and hang in there. Lastly, please allow me to leave you a central quote from one the poems of one of the national artists of the Philippines, Amado V. Hernadez:
“You can imprison my body; but you can never imprison my mind.”
Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
Subang Jaya, Darul Ehsan,
Selangor, Malaysia