The Pussy Riot judgement was passed down today by the Russian courts. The judge found the band guilty of "hooliganism" because they staged an anti-Putin rally in a Russian Orthodox Church. The women have been sentenced to two years in prison for their crime, and I wasn't even aware that hooliganism was a crime.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been a controversial figure in Russia and the world. He won his last election amid charges that their was vote rigging, and he has since ordered a clamp-down on anti-government expression in society.
Many international celebrities including Madonna and Paul McCartney have brought attention to the Pussy Riot judgement. It seems that Russians themselves are not nearly as upset though. Perhaps they have come to expect a response like this to political activism.
Freedom of expression needs to be protected. Stand up in protest against the Pussy Riot judgement.
65 Ways to Protest
63
Naked Protesting
Hot 'Chicks' Battle KFC in Australia
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Risque Public Protests
PETA: Bare Skin, Not Bear Skin
61
Humorous Demonstrations
The Best Protest Signs of 2009
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Protesting Puppet Parodies
The Occupy Sesame Street Movement is Rioting Based on Reality
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Female Protester Tributes
'Hot Chicks of Occupy Wall Street' is Surprisingly Inspiring
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Laugh-Inducing Protests
These Funny Protesters Make Fighting the Man Fun
57
Fashionable Protesters
Yes, We Care in Fashion Poland Summer 2011 Features Neo-Punk Disaster Style
56
Protest Poster Mania
Vehement Tax Day Tea Party Signs in Chicago Bash Barack Obama
55
Anti-Banker Street Art
Wall Street Labyrinth by Liqen Visually Criticizes the Financial World
54
Political Pride Protests
Sarah Palin Drag Queens Banned at Gay Carnival
53
Protesting Timepiece Sculptures
The Dominic Wilcox Watches Tell Time While Sending a Message
52
Powerful Protest Art Exhibits
The Shepard Fairey 'Playing Field' Exhibition Challenges Culture
51
Anti-Palin Alaskan Protests
Pun-Laden Political Slogans
50
Protesting Pooch Portraits
The Buzzfeed 'Dogs of Occupy Wall Street' Snaps are Animal Outcries
49
Anti-War Clothing Lines
Carrot Clothing Hip Apparel is Activist Garb for Street Culture
48
Fleshmobs at Airports
Germans Bare All to Protest Full Body Scanners
47
Protesting Horse-Drawn Carriages
Kirsten Johnston for PETA
46
Painful Protest Art
Designers Against Child Slavery Teams with Artists to End Sex Trafficking
45
Firearm Control Infographics
The 'Gun Violence in America' Chart is a Safety Reaction to Colorado
44
Protest Currency Campaigns
Occupy George Involves Circulating Fake Bills with Infographics on Them
43
Nude Nuclear Protests
‘The Environmentals' Stage Clothes-Free Activism Contest
42
Protester Armor
The C.O.P Suit Helps Protect You While You Stand For Your Cause
41
Shirts Against Fashion Consumption
‘We Are Numbers' Project Tackes One-Night Trend Tee
40
Parisian Protest Posters
Activists Take Over Subway Billboards in Paris, France
39
Political Protest Protection
The Miranda Camera
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Stripping Down for Alter-Globalization
European Social Forum Protest
37
Urban Protest Art
The Anti-Gentrification Street Art in Alabama is Something Worth Fighting For
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Provocative Protesting Pictorials
'Rebels, Always Rebel' is aleXsandro Palombo's Latest Editorial
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Digital Vigilantism Graphs
The Virtual Wars Hacktivism Infographic Reviews the New Powerful Weapon
34
Revealing Activist Photography
G20 London Protest Photographs Capture Truth of Political Action
33
Anarchist Classical Paintings
Billy Norrby Modernizes Elegant Works in an Epic Fashion
32
Eccentric Activism Requests
PETA Asks Pet Shop Boys To Change Their Name
31
Linguistic Protests
English Professor Ousted from Starbucks for Refusing to Use the Lingo
30
Political Protest Collages
Calvin Whitehurst Uses His Art to Challenge and Question
29
British Protest Looks
The Fred Perry Black Canvas x 6876 Winter 2011 Collection is Non-Conformist
28
Political Protest Comparisons
The ‘Faceoff: Occupy Wall Street vs. Tea Party Movement’
27
Political Protests at Sporting Events
Flyers-Rangers Fans Boo Sarah Palin
26
Politically Charged Marshmallow Dioramas
The Washington Post Peeps Contest is Sweetly Satirical
25
Powerful Protest Portraits
Guy Denning Creates Artwork That Exhibits Stark Emotions
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Cute Protesting Playthings
The WildAmmo '#Occupy Andy's Room' Snaps Show Turmoil Among Toys
23
Successful iPhone 3G Protests
Rogers Lowers Prices in Canada
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Protestor-Targeted Color Cannons
Indian Police Use Purple Water to Spray Rioters in Srinagar
21
Playfully Political Paintings
The Gee Vaucher Body of Work Shows Bravery and Talent
20
Extreme Climate Change Protest
Greenpeace Jumps On Airplane
19
Surveillance Protest Art
CCTV's Collage of P.M. Gordon Brown
18
Political Spoofs as a Protest
Hillary Clinton for Sunsilk
17
Political Wolf Hunt Protests
Defenders of Wildlife Against Sarah Palin
16
Fake Currency As Protest
The Zero Dollar Bill
15
Eco Protest Through Spoofs
Greenpeace Kleercut Kleenex Parody
14
Digitally Shared Protest Posters
Anti-Nuclear Artwork by Yoshitomo Nara is Available to Everyone
13
Powerful Political Protest Videos
This Egyptian Protest Viral Peers Inside the Country's Unrest
12
Anti-Assault Protests
SlutWalks are a Response to Attitudes About Rape
11
Animal Hacktivism
Dog Wars is the First Victim of the Emerging Animal Rights Hacker Movement
10
Global Human Rights Concerts
Alaska Hosts 'Free Tibet' Concert
9
Politically Charged Matchstick Art
The Ali Cherri 'Le Pyromane' Makes A Fiery Statement
8
Glitzy Gay Rights Protests
Code Pink Activists Glitter Bomb Tim Pawlenty
7
Social Media-Fueled Protests
The Prank Live With It! iPhone App Aims to Bring Awareness
6
Protest-Inspired Bottle Poppers
The 'Screwed by Wall Street' Corkscrews Offer Comedic Relief
5
Olympic Protest
Torch Snuffed Out Twice in Paris, Attacked in London
4
Flash Mob Tax Protests
US Uncut Amuses and Confuses B of A Employees with 'Pay Up' Performance
3
Protest Achievement Graphs
The 'Occupy Nation: A Glimpse of the Movement at Its Peak' Infographic
2
Buddhist Activists Protest China Online
Digital Dharma
1
Protesting With Footwear
Tibet Activists Throws Shoe At China Premier In The UK
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Moving Minority Blogs
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The Facebook 2012 Infographic is an Update on the Leading Online Community
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Reebok CrossFit and 3D Joe & Max Set a Guinness World Record
Background Disaster Photoshoots
This Bayh and Steff Rosenberger-Ochs Series is Unapologetic
Politically Infused Sculptures
Penny Byrne Adds Ironic Humor to Porcelain Figures
Giant Bunny Sculptures
Florentijn Hofman's Big Yellow Rabbit Looks Like a Huge Plush Toy
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Rebellious Nude Captures
These Brandon Jordan Photos are Hip and Edgy
Protesting Puppet Parodies
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Female Protester Tributes
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Crimson-Clad Chaps
The Dennis Johnson & Jules Hamilton GQ Russia Shoot is Red Hot
Combustible Matchstick Installations
The No Family Life Exhibit Comments on Politics and Society
Hilarious High Fashion Fusions
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Greenpeace Giant iPod is Landed at Apple HQ with Activists Inside
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Pinterest Facebook Apps
'PinView' Makes FB Visually Stunning
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Wall Street Labyrinth by Liqen Visually Criticizes the Financial World
3D Chalk-Block Battles
Planet Streetpainting Created a LEGO Version of Terracotta Army of China
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Flash Memory by Unmask Group is Nostalgic and Sentimental
Felon Fence Art (UPDATE)
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Sultry Ski-Bunny Shoots
The Candice Swanepoel for V Magazine #74 Editorial is Fabulous and Furry
Brand-Boosting Services
The 'Five Digital Tools to Boost Your Brand in 2012' Infographic
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Suzy Lelievre Deforms All Sort of Common Products to Create New Items
3D Glass Sculptures
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Videogame Romance Charts
The ‘Gamers Get Girls Infographic' Shows That Dating Sites Ca
Protesting Pooch Portraits
The Buzzfeed 'Dogs of Occupy Wall Street' Snaps are Animal Outcries
80s Sitcom Fashionista Blogs
The Sassy 'Clair Huxtable: Mom Style Icon' Tumblr
Preppy Pooch Products
The American Digs Dog Apparel Puts the Pup on the Runway
Animalistic Alley Sketches
The 'GoddoG' Street Art is Wildly Inspiring and Creative
Touch-Worthy News App Ads
The Veja for iPad Campaign Promotes Very Tangible Tablet Events
Offensive Police Shields
This Bernardo Bajana Riot Shield Shoots Pepper Spray
Photo-Sharing Service Graphs
The Instagram Infographic Charts the Success of the iPhone App
Negative Space Illustrations
Jane Hambleton Explores the Void Between Objects
Religious Sneaker Sculptures
The Shoe Christ by Petr Motycka is Not Sacred
Youthful Film Flashback Blogs
The 'Kid Casting' Tumblr Shows Characters as Children
Hypersonic Statues
The PVC Sculptures by Kang Duck-Bong are Stunningly Fast
Storytelling Porcelain Sculptures
Beth Katleman Creates Decorative Miniature Theaters
Microloan-Giving Tees
The Naked Hippie Invests in Small-Scale Entrepreneurs in the Majority World
Surreal Street Art Galleries
The Wynwood Walls Indoor Exhibits Features Eccentric Murals
Protest Currency Campaigns
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Colossal Corporation Reviews
The 6 Secret Multinational Giants Infographic is Eye-Opening
Mass Destruction Statistics
Nuclear Bomb Power Infographic by Maximilian Bode Shows Deadly Truth
Mysterious Paper Sculptures
The Banksy of Books Creates Breathtaking Anonymous Art
Zombified Muppet Roommates
The Zombert & Zernie T-Shirt is Not for Children
Abominable Animal Illustrations
These Ryan McLennan Creations Question Morality
Retro Sci-Fi Illustrations
Ryan Heshka References the '50s to Create Mind-Bending Creations
Muted Runway Illustrations
Bernadette Pasca Paints Watercolor-Like Fashion Sketches
Charmingly Cheeky Illustrations
These Sean Clark Comics are Smart and Sassy
Patriotic Street Art
Blu's Buenos Aires Graffiti Has a Political Message
Sour-Faced Dolls
The Mini Chupa Chups Kipik Campaign Brings Toys to Life
Lowdown Lyric Blogs
The 'A Lil Wayne Line a Day' Tumblr Showcases Some of His Best Lines
Cubed Civic Games Parodies
Slate's ‘Occupy Wall Street LEGO Set' is Fictitious &
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‘The Occupiers' Series Profiles Activists from Zuccotti Park
Nuclear Non-Proliferation
President Barack Obama Discusses the Global Political Climate in Seoul
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The Fro Designs Visually Represent the 1% of Occupy
Inequality in America
David Rothkopf Discusses the Rivalry Between Business and Government
Online Usage Graphs
The Day in the Internet Infographic is the Web by the Numbers
Provocative Protesting Pictorials
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Gender-Based Violence Support
SHE WILL is a Project of the Acclaimed Global Enrichment Foundation
Bandaged Trunk Sculptures
The Series by Olsen Zander 'Tree, Line' Creates an Optical Effect
Bunny-Holding Sci-Fi Figures
Kerry Kerrigan Inserts Rabbits into Star Wars Character Portraits
Precarious Structural Illustrations
Tristram Lansdowne Illustrates the Fragility of Urban Living
Protestor Visual Art
Sophie Molins is Set to Reveal 'The Protestor' Demonstration Pieces
Matchstick-Only Instruments
The Jack Hall Guitars are Made of Flammable Wooden Stems
Atomic Bomb Mapping Apps
Nukemap Displays the Potential Damage of Nuclear Weapons on Major Cities
Sustainable Power Storage
The Donald Sadoway Speech Demonstrates the Efficiency of his New Battery
Politically Charged Marshmallow Dioramas
The Washington Post Peeps Contest is Sweetly Satirical
Social Street Art Ads
The New Zealand ‘Become a Cop’ Ads Use Graffiti to Spread the Word
Cute Protesting Playthings
The WildAmmo '#Occupy Andy's Room' Snaps Show Turmoil Among Toys
Narrative-Inspired Graffiti
The Never Ending Story Street Art Project is Captivating
Gay Puppet Petitions
Lair Scott Asks If Bert and Ernie Should Marry on Sesame Street
Peaceful Riot Preventers
The Disperse Riot Shield Aims to Avert Police-Protester Clashes
Humanoid Siri-Like Apps
Voice Answer is the New Voice-Response Device That'll Answer Anythin
Beauty Tutorial PSAs
The 'Don't Cover it Up' Video is Powerful
Charitable CEO Graphs
The Redefining Action Hero Infographic Says Bill Gates Beats Batman
Urban Upcycled Bags
Toronto-Based Mariclaro Uses Air Bags to Make New Accessories
Citizen Journalism Graphs
'The Peoples Tech Revolution' Infographic Looks at New Tools
Magnificent Matchstick Replicas
The Shaikh Salimbhai Taj Mahal is a Grandious Miniature Piece
Colorful Cop Violence Books
The Police Brutality Coloring Book was Inspired by Occupy Wall Street
Grassroot Movement Infographics
Occupy Design Helps to Unite the 99% With Visual Tools
Socially Charged Seating
The Sebastian Errazuriz 'Occupy Chairs' Collection Commodifies Protest
Robotic Occupy Action Figures
Occup Cybertron Shows the Autobots Fight for Equality
Male Sports Star PSAs
The '1 is 2 Many' Ad Tackles Violence Against Women
Crime-Fighting Comic Apps
The 'LEGO Super Hero Movie Maker' Gives You Directing Power
Piracy Protest Graphs
This SOPA Infographic Supports Those Against the Bill
Vanity Shattering Apps (UPDATE)
Ugly Meter Game for Smartphones Rates Unattractiveness With Zippy
Risky Radioactive Dinnerware
The Hilda Hellström Dishes are Made From Fukushima Soil
Muppet Documentary Previews
Being Elmo Trailer Captures the Life of the Man Behind the Puppet
Altruism-Enabling Platforms
Eclectic Productions is a UK Social Enterprise With Inspiring Projects
Rabbit-Inspired Shades
These Karen Walker Bunny Sunglasses are Quirky and Fun
Sci-Fi Canine Cosplays
Katie Mello Designs an AT-AT Costume for Dogs with a Geeky Personality
Drug-Sniffing Canine Clones
'Toppies' Have Been Deployed to Incheon Airport to Find Drugs
Radiation-Detecting Smartphones
The Pantone 5 107SH Can Measure and Maps Gamma Rays
Poverty Puppets
Sesame Street Hungry Muppet Helps Children Understand Issue of Hunger
Animal Hacktivism
Dog Wars is the First Victim of the Emerging Animal Rights Hacker Movement
Chewy Cereal Florals
The Rice Krispie Bouquet Transforms the Classic Treat into a Bundle of Blooms
Politically Charged Matchstick Art
The Ali Cherri 'Le Pyromane' Makes A Fiery Statement
Social Media-Fueled Protests
The Prank Live With It! iPhone App Aims to Bring Awareness
Crisis-Aiding Social Networking Apps
The Facebook Military Personnel Tool is Revolutionary
Atom Bomb Illuminators
The Mushroom Lamp 2 is Designed to Promote Peace
Police Brutality-Prevention Apps
The 'Stop and Frisk' Tool Allows Passersby to Videotape Searches
Felon Finding Apps
The Criminal Tracker Seeks Out Unsavory Individuals in the Neighborhood
Proud Parenthood Apps
The Kidfolio Digital Scrapbook Lets Moms and Dads Swap Photos and Advice
Empowering Hacker Leaderboards
RankMyHack Gamifies the Hacktivist Efforts of Online Intruders
Social Production Initiatives
The Middle Class Financial Empowerment Project Focuses on Wealth
Schoolyard Violence-Haulting Apps
Stop Bullies Uses GPS to Alert Authorities of an Assault