Pussy Riot Appeal Hearing Delayed

The three imprisoned members of controversial Russian punk band Pussy Riot were supposed to have their appeal heard by a Moscow court today (Oct. 1), but the hearing has been pushed back and will now take place on Oct. 10. The delay has been blamed on procedural issues related to Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich's desire to no longer be represented by Violetta Volkova, one of the attorneys handling the group's defense.

Three members of the band Pussy Riot have been in prison since March, when they were arrested and charged with “hooliganism driven by religious hatred" for their role in a so-called "punk prayer" protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin that was staged in a Moscow cathedral. In August, they were each found guilty and sentenced to two years in jail, with today's scheduled appeal hearing their only possible salvation.

Now the three woman will have to wait until Oct. 10 for their appeal to be heard. Another lawyer for Pussy Riot has speculated that Volkova was pressured into rejecting her attorney in order to delay the hearing, but no details beyond that claim have been made public.