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Moscow Court Bans Pussy Riot, Designates Collective an 'Extremist Organization'

The ruling criminalizes contact with the group, including past online likes, under Russia's extremism laws.

Overview

  • The non-public decision followed a request from the General Prosecutor's Office, according to TASS citing the group's lawyer, Leonid Solowjow.
  • Under the designation, Pussy Riot is treated as a criminal association with legal penalties extending to members and supporters.
  • Pussy Riot said it expected the move and voiced concern for supporters who cannot leave Russia, while its lawyer called the decision an effort to silence dissent.
  • The collective is added to Russia's list of terrorists and extremists alongside Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, Meta, and the international LGBT movement.
  • In September, five members were sentenced in absentia to eight to 13 years for allegedly discrediting the Russian military, citing a video release and a 2024 Munich performance.