Church Wants Pussy Riot to Repent

Sentenced to prison for two years, three jailed members of the Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot may benefit from the intercessory powers of the Russian Orthodox Church as they ready their appeal – but only if they repent first. The band performed a song critical of Vladimir Putin and the Russian church, and were convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.” A lawyer for the jailed band mates said that there’s no chance they will offer repentance “in the sense of a crime … it definitely won’t happen. Our clients won’t admit guilt. A call for that is pointless.”