In Russia the trial of three young women has begun. They have become the symbol of the struggle for democracy, explains Alastair Stephens

Their defiance has garnered worldwide media attention and has divided Russia, attracting both support and oppostion. Charged with “hooliganism”, Maria Alyokhina, Yekatina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolonnikova – all members of the feminist punk group and political collective Pussy Riot – face jail terms of up to seven years.

This follows one of the more imaginative and audacious protests, not only in recent Russian history, but in the whole wave of protest that has swept the world in the last couple of years. In January, as part of the pro-democracy protest movement, Pussy Riot performed a “Punk Prayer” (see the lyrics below) on the altar of Moscow’s main church, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

Wearing their trademark multi-coloured balaclavas, dresses and tights, they alternately genuflected whilst crossing themselves during the prayer-like chorus and pogo-ed about – high kicking through the more raucous and more recognisably punk verses. And all on the main altar, which is forbidden for women to stand on.

The performance only lasted a minute or so. They were hustled out of the building by security guards.

Nothing happened. It looked like the whole incident might be forgotten. Then a video of the action appeared on YouTube. It was at that point that both the leadership of the Orthodox Church and the Federal Security Service (known as the FSB, the successor to the KGB) got involved. The homes of the women were raided and they were all imprisoned.

They have been inside ever since. Recently their pre-trial detention was extended for another six months. Such lengthy pre-trial detention of women, two of whom have young children, is unusual in Russia. However, it is widely believed that the orders on this one are coming from Putin himself, a former head of the FSB.

If their intention was to expose the increasingly repressive nature of the Putin regime they have succeeded, if at high personal cost. Putin was not the only target of their “punk prayer”. The Orthodox Church and its increasing co-operation with the regime was also in their sights.

Certainly the church’s, and in particular Patriarch Kiril’s, support for Putin has become more blatant. Patriarch Kirill supported him in the election and has opposed the democracy movement. He also met with Putin privately at his inauguration for his third term as president to give him his blessing.

For his part Putin announced that he had been secretly baptised into the Orthodox Church: not something that would have helped him advance his previous career in the KGB, but which fits better in the new dispensation. At Easter Putin said, in a congratulatory message to Kirill, that “it gives joy to say that in the last year cooperation between the Church, the state and public institutions has become considerably enhanced.”

The church has also become more assertive in pushing a reactionary agenda, for instance in campaigning for laws against “homosexual propaganda”. Kirill has proclaimed that there is a war going on against the church and that Pussy Riot is part of it.

Kirill condemned Pussy Riot as being blasphemous. The church has demanded exemplary punishment. This prompted hundreds of intellectuals and public figures, including Orthdox believers, to write an open letter calling for clemency.

The battle in Russia over the case has become a symbolic struggle between an opposition demanding the right to protest and a state that wants to put the lid on months of protest.

The still-powerful security apparatus, of which Putin is a leading member, does not at present want to stage a violent crackdown, but it is squeezing the opposition by passing a number of laws against protest, imposing massive new fines for unauthorised actions and trying to label activists as “foreign agents”.

There are also a number of ongoing criminal investigations into leading opposition leaders which many believe to be politically motivated.

It is this that made the trial a centre of opposition – and it is precisely this official vindictiveness that is starting to rebound on the authorities. Putin has now said that he doesn’t think “they should be judged too severely,” maybe a sign that a retreat is imminent.

Lyrics

Mother of God, Virgin, Drive away Putin

Drive away! Drive away Putin!

(end chorus)

Black robe, golden epaulettes

All parishioners are crawling and bowing

The ghost of freedom is in heaven

Gay pride sent to Siberia in chains

The head of the KGB is their chief saint

Leads protesters to prison under escort

In order not to offend the Holy

Women have to give birth and to love

Holy shit, shit, Lord’s shit!

Holy shit, shit, Lord’s shit!

(Chorus)

Mother of God, Virgin, become a feminist

Become a feminist, Become a feminist

(end chorus)

Church praises the rotten dictators

The cross-bearer procession of black limousines

In school you are going to meet with a teacher-preacher

Go to class – bring him money!

Patriarch Gundyaev believes in Putin

Bitch, you better believed in God

Belt of the Virgin is no substitute for mass-meetings

In protest of our Ever-Virgin Mary!

(Chorus)

Mother of God, Virgin, Drive away Putin

Drive away! Drive away Putin!

(end chorus)