Report: Imprisoned members of Pussy Riot may be released under amnesty deal

The deal may also apply to the 30 crew members of the recently detained Greenpeace ship, according to the report

Published December 10, 2013 4:54PM (EST)

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich of Pussy Riot             (AP/Misha Japaridze)
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich of Pussy Riot (AP/Misha Japaridze)

The imprisoned members of Pussy Riot may be pardoned and released early if Parliament accepts an amnesty bill submitted by Vladimir Putin, according to a Kremlin-affiliated Russian news daily.

Citing the report from Izvestia, NPR notes that Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina, both of whom were sentenced to two years in prison on hooliganism charges for their anti-Putin protest in 2012, would be included in the proposed legislation, intended to release "a wide range of inmates who haven't committed violent crimes, including women who have children."  Tolokonnikova and Alekhina are both nonviolent offenders and mothers.

The amnesty may also apply to the 30 crew members of the recently detained Greenpeace ship, according to the report.

Vladimir Vasilyev, deputy speaker for the Duma, said that he expects the amnesty bill to pass, but there is currently no date set for the vote.

More to come as the story develops.

 

 


By Katie McDonough

Katie McDonough is Salon's politics writer, focusing on gender, sexuality and reproductive justice. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com.

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