Hackers Deface Pussy Riot Court Website

The Russian court which recently handed a two year jail sentence to the Pussy Riot band members has had its website hacked and defaced.

Anti-Vladmir Putin slogans and a video containing a recording of a song by Pussy Riot called “Putin is Lighting the Fires of the Revolution” were placed on the Khamovnichesky District Court site. Another music video called “Hate”, by Bulgarian transvestite singer Azis, was also posted on the site.

Tabs linking to other sections of the site were replaced by slogans such as “Free Pussy Riot” and “Only an Open Trial Can Be Fair”, according to the Wall Street Journal. A group associating itself with Anonymous has taken credit for the attack, but little else is known about the hit.

I predict a riot

The three members of Pussy Riot, Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich, were sentenced to two years each last week, after being found guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred after performing a “punk prayer” at the altar of Christ The Saviour Cathedral in Moscow this February.

The decision prompted an international outcry, with politicians and celebrities condemning the sentence.

But the Russian government has decided to risk further international condemnation by hunting down other members of the punk rock band. Although no suspects have been arrested, Moscow Police have confirmed they are looking for anyone else involved in the protest at the cathedral, according to the Guardian.

“The necessary search operations are being conducted,” a representative of the Moscow police told Interfax news agency.

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