Sacking stalls Pussy Riot court appeal

A RUSSIAN court has postponed the appeal of three members of jailed rock band Pussy Riot until 10 October after one fired her lawyers.

The three were sentenced to two years in prison in August for performing a “punk prayer” against president Vladimir Putin at Moscow’s main cathedral.

Yekaterina Samutsevich announced at the opening of hearings yesterday that she had sacked her three lawyers over an unspecified disagreement.

A day before the hearing, the Russian Orthodox Church said the musicians would deserve mercy if they offered repentance for their stunt.

The move followed a statement by Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev, who said keeping them in prison any longer would be “unproductive”.

Samutsevich said she had secured the services of another lawyer but had failed to sign a contract.

Prosecutors condemned the move as a delaying tactic.

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Maria Alekhina, 24, and 30-year-old Samutsevich were arrested in March after dancing at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour Cathedral as they pleaded with the Virgin Mary to save Russia from Mr Putin.

They said during their trial in August that they were protesting over the Russian Orthodox Church’s support for Mr Putin and did not intend to offend religious believers.