Russia could release jailed members of anti-Putin punk band Pussy Riot this week

Two jailed members of the punk band Pussy Riot could be released this week, and as early as Thursday.

A wide-ranging amnesty law which is expected to be passed this week by the Russian Duma, which could result in the release of two members of the band, as well as others including Greenpeace protesters.

In August, Pussy Riot, Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich, were jailed for two years for staging an anti-Vladimir Putin protest at a major Moscow cathedral last year, with a song that mentioned the country’s persecuted LGBT citizens in a Moscow cathedral on 21 February 2012.

Samutsevich was freed on appeal shortly after the end of the trial.

The bill is backed by President Putin, and is timed to coincide with with 20th anniversary of Russia’s constitution.

It passed its first reading in the Russian Duma on Tuesday, and its second reading on Wednesday morning. The third and final reading is set for later today.

Once the bill is signed by Putin, it will become law.

In the wake of the scandal caused by the Pussy Riot, a law has since passed by the State Duma to criminalise insulting people’s religious feelings.

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