 Source HRO.org (info) Moscow News reports that lawyers acting for Pussy Riot member Maria Alekhina lodged an appeal based on Article 82 Section 1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, according to which a prison sentence can be postponed for pregnant women and single parents of children who have not attained 14 years of age. Maria Alekhina has a five-year-old son, Filipp. In court Judge Galina Efremova read both positive and negative references concerning Maria Alekhina. Positive references came, amongst others, from the higher education institution where Maria Alekhina studied, and from Greenpeace Russia where she worked as a volunteer. The prosecution and the prison authorities in their presentations did not support the postponement of the prison sentence. After a second break in the court hearing, that lasted about two hours, the judge rejected the request for postponement of the sentence on the grounds that the existence of a young child had already been taken into account by the court at the time the sentence had been passed. Moreover, Judge Efremova pointed out that the existence of a child had not prevented Maria Alekhina from “committing the crime in the cathedral.” |
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