Members of the Russian punk group, Pussy Riot have produced a new video in which they condemn the imprisonment of three women accused of hooliganism and inciting religious hatred as members of the band. The video was intended for MTV and was due to be first screened at the Music Video Awards show taking place tonight in Los Angeles. According to Petya Verzilov (husband of Nadia Tolokonnikova, one of the three members of the band jailed in August), MTV suggested however that the group release it elsewhere citing concerns over corporate policy. The video was instead released via NME.com.
The clip, which lasts just over a minute, shows three members of the group abseiling down a half-constructed tower block in a suburb of Moscow. The building is hung with a huge Pussy Riot banner which the three women, wearing the bands trademark coloured balaclavas, suspend themselves in front of. Large portraits of Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukaschenko sit in empty windows below. Pointing at the photograph of Putin, the women shout in English "These men think it's illegal to call yourself a feminist. These men think that think that if you sing and dance in an inappropriate way you get two years in prison."
The video is intended as a thank you to Pussy Riots supporters and in particular to those musicians who have called for the women's release. The women end their address by thanking Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers specifically.
A number of members of Pussy Riot remain free, although Russian police have announced they are continuing to try to identify those who may have participated in the Christ the Saviour performance. Two members of Pussy Riot allegedly fled Russia at the end of August and are now in hiding abroad.