VSGLYAD, KOMMERSANT FM, KOMMERSANT, NOVAYA GAZETA, ROSBALT.RU (Russia)
MOSCOW – As the three members of Pussy Riot face jail time, the fallout from their case is being felt around Russia, with very diverse – and unexpected – ramifications.
Vzglyad reports that there is a commercial war going on over the Pussy Riot brand. The band registered the brand in May, and is now going after people making unauthorized use of the band’s name and logo.
At the same time, the Russian Orthordox church has been struggling with the possibility of a schism – it turns out not everyone in the church hierarchy was totally on board with the church’s handling of the case. Kommersant FM reports that at least one Orthodox priest has decided to leave the priesthood in protest over the church’s reaction to the Pussy Riot affair.
Kommersant also reported that a law firm in Novosibirsk is trying to profit from the scandal by suing Pussy Riot for moral suffering damages suffered by people who saw news reports about the punk prayer on television.
In an interview with Novaya Gazeta, the three members of Pussy Riot who stood trial said that they would be judged by society, where they felt the most people supported them.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the three young women’s sentence to two years in jail was being used as an excuse for a “new wave of anti-Russian sentiment,” around the world, Rosbalt.ru reports.
The Foreign Ministry claims that the whole situation has been overblown and pointed out that many international organizations have said that there are legitimate restrictions on free speech.
