Judgment against Pussy Riot cause for concern

The trial against the activists in the girl band Pussy Riot has attracted widespread attention both in Russia and internationally. In the view of the Norwegian authorities, the sentence of two years’ imprisonment imposed on the three women gives cause for concern. 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre commented, "The judgment is out of step with the fundamental right of freedom of expression and the right to engage in alternative forms of expression, and is a breach of clear European norms." 

"The judgment also seems to violate the principle that the seriousness of the sentence should correspond to that of the crime. The way the trial against the three women has been carried out doesn’t seem to have complied with generally expected legal standards. This sentence is part of a broader pattern we are seeing of human rights coming under pressure in Russia, and gives cause for concern." 

Mr Støre will raise the matter immediately with the Russian parliamentarians who are taking part in a political conference in Storfjord in Troms, North Norway.