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Madonna performs during her concert at Olympic Hall in Moscow, Russia, with the words "Pussy Riot" on her bare back Oleg Sharan/AP/Press Association Images

Russia: Deputy PM slams Madonna on Twitter for Pussy Riot support

Dmitry Rogozin accused the singer of moral lecturing, adding: “Either take off the cross or put on pants”.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY PRIME Minister Dmitry Rogozin has criticised Madonna on Twitter for her support of feminist punk rock band Pussy Riot.

Rogozin said the singer was guilty of moral lecturing, tweeting: “With age, every former s…. seeks to lecture everyone on morality. Especially during tours and gigs abroad” – using the first letter of the Russian term for ‘slut’ or ‘whore’, the Guardian reports.

He then tweeted: “Either take off the cross or put on pants”.

The US singer had written the words Pussy Riot across her back when she performed in Moscow on Tuesday. She has called for the release of the band’s three members – Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich – who are facing jail sentences for singing an anti-Putin song in a Moscow cathedral.

Yesterday, the lead singer of the band compared the group’s trial to Stalin-era repression in a dramatic final statement before the verdict is delivered later this month.

Prosecutors calling for the three punk rockers to recieve three years in prison on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred for bursting into Moscow’s biggest church on February 21 and singing a “punk prayer” against Putin.

The case has drawn sharp criticism from across the international community, with Amnesty International launching a petition calling for their release on the grounds that freedom of expression is a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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13 Comments
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    Mute Derrick Knowles
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    Aug 9th 2012, 10:22 PM

    On stage tonight in St Petersburg where there is a law against ‘gay propaganda’, Madonna stripped to her bra on stage to reveal the words “No Fear!” written on her back as she preached the dangers of societies that fail to treat their own people with “dignity, with respect and with love”.

    “Show your love and appreciation for the gay community,” she called as a sea of hands shot up to display pink bracelets that her team had distributed to the 10,000-strong crowd.

    I think it’s fair to give her a few thumbs up!

    137
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    Mute Francis Cussen
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    Aug 9th 2012, 10:54 PM

    really grabbing for fame more like. wish her and bono got married and went over Niagara falls in a barrel.

    144
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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Aug 9th 2012, 11:23 PM

    Pussy Riot are brave, gutsy women, and Madge is dead right to support them.

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    Mute Miroslaw Baran
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    Aug 9th 2012, 10:20 PM

    Ah, mr Rogozin, always a classy chap.

    66
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    Mute john cleary
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    Aug 9th 2012, 11:10 PM

    “Either take off the cross or put on some pants.”
    Brilliant!
    If Hunter S had said it everybody’d be wetting themselves.

    52
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    Mute zebedee
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    Aug 10th 2012, 3:03 AM

    Aaahhhh gawd! Isn’t it great this twitter thing. A Russian Deputy PM advising a 50yr old woman to put her pants on!
    How times have changed……

    37
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    Mute kingstown
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    Aug 9th 2012, 10:49 PM

    Ah the cultural expressions of a peasant

    29
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    Mute Josephine Gill
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    Aug 10th 2012, 12:51 AM

    ah poor old Madge has resorted to stripping to get attention, no surprise there she always was a nasty piece of work.

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    Mute Dhakina's Sword
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    Aug 10th 2012, 12:51 AM

    I’m just wondering about the charges against these women. The charge of hoolangism is based upon the charges of punk praying, so to say. Praying is obviously allowed, so where is the rule stating that it must be only so high in volume ?. Where is it stated that a style of prayer is essential to the success of the prayer. A prayer is just a prayer. They only thing that they are guilty of is some combination of bravery and style.

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    Mute Holemaster
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    Aug 9th 2012, 11:00 PM

    Empty vessels both.

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Aug 9th 2012, 11:22 PM

    Yeah of course. But there’s this anonyMouse on the internet who’s not an empty vessel at all at all!

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    Mute Conor Gallagher
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    Aug 10th 2012, 9:14 AM

    You have to admire Madonna’s principled stand/ opportunism/marketing (though he’s right about the pants).

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    Mute Jonny California
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    Aug 10th 2012, 10:43 AM

    Ah feck lads , tiss off were trying to get the pants .

    4
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