Pussy Riot has called out the re-arrest of four of their members on social media, claiming that they are being jailed for existing.
Pussy Riot say that their members are being jailed ‘just for existing’ following an incident where four activists were jailed again for ‘petty hooliganism’ hours after being released from prison. Masha Alekhina, Sasha Sofiev, Ann Kuzminikh, and Veronika Nikulshina were released following their arrests in June, as reported by Artnet News.
Earlier today, a photo and video of the incident surfaced on Instagram, which shows Masha Alekhina being re-arrested and ushered into a police van immediately after leaving the station. The charges against the four constitute ‘petty hooliganism’ for arguing with police officers and using ‘obscene language.’
A representative for Alekhina said: “Groundhog Day, again 15-day arrest. In the 2SPP protocol, it said that (s)he was detained near the house for obscene language and resistance to the police. Actually (it was) at the exit from the detention centre, without explanation.”
While Alekhina is looking at a 15-day detention, Sofiev and Kuzminikh will serve 10 more days each. Nikulshina will also serve another 15-day sentence.
This is not the first time Russian officials have detained members of the collective: earlier in June, long-standing member and activist Pytor Verzilov was also arrested on similar charges.
Last week, the group spoke up against the slew of arrests on Twitter, saying: “Why all of us are being arrested? we don’t know. at this point, simply for living. they catch us while we leave our house, while we swim in the river or do nails.”
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“It’s not even required to protest to be arrested anymore,” they said, “Apparently, we protest simply by existing.”
The collective has now launched a fundraiser to collect legal fees, food, and medicine for the detained members. “When your government is trying to kill you, only solidarity can save you.” they wrote on Twitter.
You can read more about this topic over at the Classic Rock Observer.
