This is from Yekaterina Samutsevih of Pussy Riot’s closing statement in her criminal trial. Frequently defendants use closing statements to express contrition or apologize. Samutevih went another route.
I now have mixed feelings about this trial. On the one hand, we now expect a guilty verdict. Compared to the judicial machine, we are nobodies, and we have lost. On the other hand, we have won. Now the whole world sees that the criminal case against us has been fabricated. The system cannot conceal the repressive nature of this trial. Once again, Russia looks different in the eyes of the world from the way Putin tries to present it at daily international meetings. All the steps toward a state governed by the rule of law that he promised have obviously not been made. And his statement that the court in our case will be objective and make a fair decision is another deception of the entire country and the international community. That is all. Thank you.
That is one brave, badass girl.










Thanks for this quote!
Is there
some “official” place we can post/write to suport her and her crew?
[Not that GOACA is not "official."]
That’s an excellent question. Let me see if I can find out.
Ditto. I think a letter-writing campaign might really help. It gives Putin a facesaving way to not jack them. Sort of.
I wish there was a way for her to know that she has support
Wow. Really inspiring. The things we take for granted…
This is a real war on women. We forget that our rights are about more than abortion in the US.