Bad sign for Russia's civil society

The harsh punishment meted out to the members of the punk band Pussy Riot does not bode well for Russia's future, Russia expert Jiří Just writes in his blog for the news portal Aktuálně.cz: "The system in Russia can pat itself on the back. It has chalked up a victory against these women, and indirectly against all those who are dissatisfied with it. And it has done so in a very elegant manner. The judge excluded the possibility of the band being politically motivated and instead slapped them with a two-year prison sentence for inciting hatred against the Church. From which we're meant to conclude that there are no political prisoners in Russia. The case could set a legal precedent. The Kremlin's brief phase of weakness during the mass protests last winter seems to be a thing of the past. Nothing remains of the promises of more plurality. The hawks in the Kremlin cabinet are now making their move. ... With the case against Pussy Riot, however, the Kremlin has done lasting damage to its reputation abroad. ... It has shown that it has renounced even the last remnants of political flexibility. And that is a very bad signal for Russian civil society."

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