I am amazed that some – even from the centre right – have taken it upon themselves to argue that the two-year prison sentence given to Pussy Riot is justified. Yes of course, it would have been better if the punk group had not sang-anti Putin songs in a Cathedral.
But – this is what punk groups do: create outrage and challenge conventional opinion.
The reason for their imprisonment has nothing to do with religious sensibilities, but the sensibilities of Mr Putin, who cannot brook any opposition to his regime.
I hope that the disgraceful imprisonment of this band, will establish a catalyst against the Putin regime and lead to a wave of opposition. Will Pussy Riot head gear become a symbol of support for a more liberal Russia? Any Conservative who believes in individual freedom and liberty – has a duty to oppose this disgraceful sentence.
P.S. A few days ago in a previous blog, I wrote that Putin should read Solzehnitysn’s great book ‘The First Circle’. The lesson of that book is that the imprisoned are often more free than those who pass the sentence – a point made by Pussy Riot during their trial.
I reprint my blog below:
I did my post-graduate degree in post-Soviet politics – looking at the forces against liberalisation after the attempted coup against Gorbachev in 1991.
One of the books I came across at the time – amongst the greatest books I have ever read – was The First Circle by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The story is set – over a few days -in a Prisoners’ Labour Camp during the time of Stalin. As the tale unfolds, the reader comes to realise that the inmates are actually the ones who are free, and the guards and bureaucrats who rule over them, are the real prisoners. This is because , whilst the inmates have nothing to lose, the guards et al, live under a culture of fear and witch-hunts, knowing that they may be the victims of purges to come.
I thought of this book, over the past couple of days, when I heard about the story of the Pussy Riot Trial, currently going on in the Moscow High Court. Pussy Riot, (a kind of female Sex Pistols crossed with Russell Brand) is an anarchistic female pop group – that chose to perform an anti-Putin concert in a Russian Orthodox Church.
Under the cover of ‘disrespect towards religion’, members of the Group were imprisoned and now face a three year sentence. One of the group leaders, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova – in an uncanny echo of Solzhenitsyn – has argued in court that the members of her group, are freer than the prosecutors they face.
As The Guardian reports:
The Trial of Pussy Riot begs the question as to whether Russia is retreating back into the Soviet days of The First Circle: A State which dissent is shut down through a mixture of threats and repression.
P.S. You can read more about the First Circle here.
This article was written by Robert Halfon, Member of Parliament for Harlow. This piece was originally published on Robert’s blog and has been reproduced here with his kind agreement. Robert tweets @halfon4harlowMP
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I don’t defend the sentences but 99% of those now wallowing in faux-outrage at the Pussy Riot sentence are either cynical hypocrites or dupes of cynical hypocrites.
A little quiz:
(1) What would be the reaction from the media, international political elites and Robert Halfon if a British punk band were to invade a mosque, shout obscene lyrics and insult the ‘prophet’ in scatological terms ?
a) Leap to their defence in the interest of free speech and expression
b) Call for their arrest and imprisonment for such ‘offensive’ behaviour
(2)What would be the reaction from the media and poltical elites if an American neo-Nazi heavy metal band invaded a synagogue, ridicule the Judaism and make jokes about the Holocaust?
a) Leap to their defence in the interest of free speech and expression
b) Call for their arrest and imprisonment for such vile offensive behaviour
(3)What would be the reaction from the media and poltical elites if an obscure Russian ‘pop group’ invaded an Orthodox Cathedral where they defile and mock the altar, the Orthodox faith, Jesus, and the Russian President.
a) Ignore it
b) Leap to their defence in the interest of free speech and expression
c) Call for their arrest and imprisonment for such vile offensive behaviour.
I think you can see the point here. This international pro-Pussy riot campaign has much less to do with defending free speech and much more about attacking a government that has defied American and global elites.
I also wonder what Robert Halfon, (or the Freedom Association for that matter) have said about the disgraceful jailing of the Croydon ‘tram lady’ (who has had her trial delayed yet again)? Or do they only care about those free speech cases that are fashionable talking points among the political class? (Moreover a political class that is engaged in the gradual abolition of the free speech of its subjects)
I entirely agree with the sentiments of Kristian above. His particular examples are apposite and I think we know that both the anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish groups would be prosecuted under current British law and probably in America as well?
In fact I am not happy about the position here in Britain or the whole concept of spurious ‘hate crime’. It is an affront to British Liberty and to the concept of free speech. We are losing our liberties here in Britain and it behoves us to be considerably more exercised about that than about Russia.
As to this obnoxious Russian Group, I am surprised that anyone is concerned about them at all. They are deliberately causing offence as part of their whole life-style. Therefore they must expect offence to be taken and retribution to follow. If not why do it in the first place. Any such ‘insulting behaviour’ in Britain would have been punished until the madness of the the 1960s and the general abdication of any control over deliberate excesses.
I am a right-wing conservative who is a republican and an atheist. I acknowledge that Russia runs under different tighter rules than Britain. It is not up to them to change to suit our ways any more than we should be more like them. I think the action of the group was offensive and I would hope illegal. I have no problem with them being prosecuted or gaoled. Two years seems not unreasonable to me for the offences caused. They are Russians and can hardly excuse themselves with a defence of not knowing what might happen. They literally brought this on their own heads and fully deserve the consequences.
Well, Mr Halfon, you have found another right-winger who does not like them and feels Russia was correct to act as it did within its own lights. We are too soft in Britain on bad behaviour and far too hard on mere spoken words.