Russian authorities have labeled Pussy Riot, the feminist and queer-friendly punk band, as “extremist.” A Moscow court on Monday granted a prosecutor’s request to “recognize Pussy Riot as an extremist organization and ban its activities across the territory of the Russian Federation.” This means that any interaction with the group in Russia is now illegal, including past “likes” on social media.
Since the start of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has stepped up its crackdown on critics. The band’s lawyer, Leonid Solowjow, told the independent Russian news portal Sotavision after the court hearing that the decision is “another action to silence those who speak out beyond the permitted.”
Pussy Riot concerned about fans in Russia
Pussy Riot had expected to face a ban as “extremist.” “The law is meant to erase Pussy Riot from the memory of Russian citizens,” they explained last week on online platforms. The group also expressed concern about “the safety of Pussy Riot supporters who cannot leave Russia or choose to stay there.”
The punk band now sits on Russia’s official list of “terrorists and extremists.” Also on the list are the Anti-Corruption Foundation of the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny, the U.S. company Meta, and the “international LGBT movement” (TheColu.mn reported).
Pussy Riot rose to prominence after a protest in 2012 at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. There, the group performed a “punk prayer” in which they openly criticized Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. The band has repeatedly protested the oppression of sexual and gender minorities in Russia. Several members were subsequently imprisoned. The band now lives in exile.
