Kenny Sokan (PRI, Feb. 4, 2016); Seth Auberon, Ashley Wells, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; PussyRiotVideo (youtube.com); Yuriy Ekb (animated Putin video); BBC Newsnight; The Guardian
Feminists strike at the empire: punk rock troublemakers Pussy Riot take a stand. |
The US is full of Pussy Riot supporters, cheerleaders, and even a few activists (scpr.org). |
Nadya, Feb. 4, 2012 protest (Denis Bochkarev) |
Lyrics refer to corruption accusations made against him last year by opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
The video, which is filmed at multiple locations in Moscow,
stars [Pussy Riot founder] Nadya Tolokonnikova as Chaika, with women dressed in blue
prosecutor uniforms dancing around while they abuse and torture
restrained prisoners.
The satirical video comments on the Kremlin,
Russia's justice system, and President [and billionaire dictator] Vladimir Putin.
Wish I'd not approved this propaganda cartoon. |
After completing an investigation, Navalny released a short documentary online -- released again in English. It accuses senior Russian prosecutors of having ties to
gangsters. The video, now at more than 5,000,000 views,
according to The Guardian (UK), points the finger at Chaika for graft, having
secret holdings abroad, and using his position to help his sons
cultivate their large business empire while covering up their connections
to the Tsapok gang.
(BBC Newsnight) Russian opposition activist and blogger Alexei Navalny has several short
spells in prison under his belt. His brother, Oleg, is in jail now on what
critics say are trumped-up charges. Mr. Navalny spoke to BBC Newsnight's
John Sweeney about the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko and his fight to free
Russia from corruption.
Fight the power, says Pussy Rioter Nadya |
The lyrics -- "Be humble, learn to obey, don't worry about material
stuff. Be loyal to those in power, 'cause power is a gift from God," and
"You wanna get a way with murder? Be loyal to your boss" -- are repeated
throughout the video.
The rise of Pussy Riot balaclavas (facebook.com/PyssyRiotTheDocumentary) |
.
I like sexy little boys, not riots (AP). |
Charles Maynes, a Moscow based reporter, says "The lyrics kind of
serve as [a] warning to you if you get in the grips of the Kremlin. It's
not very pleasant."
Maynes says there is evidence to support Navalny's claims against Chaika. A Transparency International
report released last year scored countries on their "perceived level of
public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very
clean)." Russia ranked 119 out of 168 countries with a score of 29. This
ranking was worse than many of Russia's neighboring countries.
Maynes
also pointed to the great wealth Putin's friends and associates have
acquired over the last decade as indicative of government corruption.
To combat these claims a pro-government organization,
which Maynes believes was created by Putin himself, put out a series
of animated videos. In them Putin is shown executing government officials accused
of corruption. More
Pussy Riot: Sex, Art, and Vlad Putin
(The Guardian UK) Pussy Riot's Nadya and Masha talk to Luke Harding about sex, art, disobedience, and Vlad Putin at a Guardian Live event in London. Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina told The Guardian's former Moscow correspondent Harding about trial, prison, and future.
Pussy Riot: Sex, Art, and Vlad Putin
(The Guardian UK) Pussy Riot's Nadya and Masha talk to Luke Harding about sex, art, disobedience, and Vlad Putin at a Guardian Live event in London. Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina told The Guardian's former Moscow correspondent Harding about trial, prison, and future.
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