Russian Church to Pussy Riot: Repent

[NewsCaster]

Maxim Shemetov / Reuters Members of the female punk band Pussy Riot (from right) Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alyokhina sit in a glass-walled cage after a court hearing in Moscow, Aug. 17.By NBC News and news servicesMOSCOW -- The Russian Orthodox Church on Sunday called for members of the Pussy Riot  punk band to repent, on the eve of an appeal court hearing they hope will quash  their two-year jail sentences for performing an anti-Kremlin song in Moscow's  main cathedral.

Follow @NBCNewsWorld The three women - who belted out a "punk prayer" criticizing President  Vladimir Putin's close ties to the Russian Orthodox Church - were convicted of  "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" by a district court on Aug. 17.


The tough jail sentences they received saw the West sharply criticize Putin  and the Kremlin because of doubts over the independence of the judiciary, and  global celebrities, including British musician Paul McCartney and U.S. pop  singer Madonna, called for leniency for the women.

NBCNews

[KingFemzee]

Religion and politics....who do we believe, even the name of the band is awful.