Russian Parliament Approves Amnesty That Could See Jailed Pussy Riot Members Released Early

[dipsydoodle]

2. Pussy Riot, Greenpeace activists granted amnesty as State Duma passes bill.

State Duma deputies on Wednesday unanimously supported the amnesty legislation submitted by President Vladimir Putin earlier this month to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the country’s Constitution. The legislation could come into force as early as this week, after it is officially published.

Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, who are both subject to the amnesty, may be released from prison by New Year’s Eve, their lawyer Irina Khrunova told journalists.

“As a matter of fact, the situation entirely depends on whether the administrations of their penal colonies want their soonest release, but I think they would not like to procrastinate the release process for the two girls,” she said, as cited by Itar-Tass.

Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina are serving two-year jail terms for hooliganism for their protest action, called a “punk prayer,” in Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral in February 2012. The band’s third convicted member, Yeakterina Samutsevich, who received a suspended sentence, is also subject to the amnesty bill, the lawyer said.

http://rt.com/politics/pussy-riot-freed-amnesty-426/