The global campaign to free Pussy Riot is gaining speed: Supporters of the punk provocateur band are mobilizing this week in at least two dozen cities worldwide to hold simultaneous demonstrations an hour before a Russian court rules on whether its members will be sent to prison.

Friday's rallies will ride a wave of support for the three women who have been in jail for more than five months because of an anti-Putin prank in Moscow's main cathedral. Calls for them to be freed have come from a long list of celebrities such as Madonna and Bjork. Protests have been held in a number of Western capitals, including Berlin, where last week about 400 people joined Canadian electro-pop performance artist Peaches to support the band.

In one of the most extravagant displays, Reykjavik Mayor Jon Gnarr rode through the streets of the Icelandic capital in a Gay Pride parade this weekend dressed like a band member _ wearing a bright pink dress and matching balaclava _ while lip-synching to one of Pussy Riot's songs.

Although the band members and their lawyers are convinced that the verdict depends entirely on the will of President Vladimir Putin, and prosecutors have asked for a three-year sentence, activists hope their pressure will ease punishment or even free the women.

Putin has said the women should not be judged too harshly, but he risks appearing weak if they walk free.

Amnesty International has declared the women prisoners of conscience and collected tens of thousands of petitions to be sent to the Russian government. So far, though, the human rights group said it has been blocked from delivering them. Two boxes containing 70,000 petitions were taken to the Russian Embassy in Washington on Tuesday, but a Russian diplomat carried them outside and dumped them on the sidewalk, Amnesty International spokeswoman Sharon Singh said.

“He did not want them anywhere on Russian soil,” she said by telephone on Wednesday. Repeated calls to the embassy went unanswered. (AP)

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were little known before their brief impromptu performance in Christ the Savior Cathedral in February. Dancing and high-kicking, they shouted the words of a “punk prayer” asking the Virgin Mary to deliver Russia from Putin, who was set to win a third term in a March presidential election. 

They were arrested on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years. Since then, they have been vilified by the state media, while winning over hearts at home and abroad.

About 20 supporters wearing colorful balaclavas held a brief protest on the steps of the cathedral on Wednesday, each holding up a letter to spell out “Blessed are the merciful” in Russian.

“This action was done in support of the girls,” said Anna Tashina, 18, who was one of at least two protesters detained by police. “We wanted them to know that we are with them, that they haven't been forgotten.”

Madonna also donned a balaclava during a concert in Moscow last week and had “Pussy Riot” written on her bare back. Yoko Ono sent a personal message to Samutsevich, saying that “the power of your every word is now growing in us.” (AP)

<관련 한글 기사>

‘대통령 반대해’ 감옥간 여가수 논란 폭발!

러시아 대통령 블라디미르 푸틴을 반대하는 공연을 펼쳤다가 수감된 여성 록그룹 ‘푸시 라이엇(pussy riot)’을 둘러싼 논란이 국제적으로 확장되고 있다.

AP통신은 15일(현지시간) 5인조 록그룹 푸시 라이엇을 지지하는 시위가 이번 주 내에 전세계적으로 열릴 것이라고 보도했다. 이번 시위는 뉴욕, 워싱턴을 포함해 최소 24개 도시에서 동시에 열릴 예정이다.

푸시 라이엇은 지난 2월 러시아 정교회 사원에 난입해 푸틴을 비난하는 공연을 한 이후 멤버 세 명이 각각 경찰에 의해 3년형을 구형 받았다. 이들에 대한 최종 선고는 이달 17일로 예정되어 있다.

이후 마돈나, 비요크, 스팅, 밴드 레드 핫 칠리페퍼스 등 유명 뮤지션들이 그들에 대한 지지를 표명하거나 석방을 촉구하는 나서고, 세계 각지에서 그들을 지지하는 시위가 열렸다.

지난 주에는 캐나다 출신 뮤지션 피치스가 베를린에서 “푸시 라이엇에게 자유를(Free Pussy Riot)”이라는 곡을 발표했다. 그녀는 또한 “푸시 라이엇을 즉시 풀어줄 것”을 요구하는 온라인 청원을 최근 시작했는데, 벌써 10만에 가까운 서명을 받은 상태이다.

또한 아이슬란드 수도 레이캬비크의 시장 존 그나는 최근 열린 게이 퍼레이드에서 푸시 라이엇의 노래에 맞춰 립싱크를 하며 차량을 타고 질주하기도 했다.

국제 인권단체 엠네스티 인터내셔널 역시 이들을 양심수로 인정하며 워싱턴 DC에 있는 러시아 대사관에 수만장에 달하는 청원서를 배송했다. 그러나 엠네스티 측은 러시아 대사가 이 청원서들을 받고서는 인도에 버렸다고 밝혔다.

“대사는 (청원서를) 러시아 땅 어디에도 두고 싶지 않아하더군요”라고 엠네스티의 대변인 샤론 싱은 말했다.

한편 푸틴 대통령은 밴드 멤버들에게 ‘관대한 처분’을 할 것을 지시한 것으로 알려졌으나, 처벌 정도가 약할 시 나약한 이미지를 갖게 될 수도 있기 때문에 실제 판결에 어떠한 영향을 미칠지는 아직 알 수 없다.