Jailed Pussy Riot members Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova finally got some validation from the Russian Supreme Court after closer consideration of their cases and the circumstances. But it doesn't mean they will be set free yet.
The young women were arrested following a protest in February 2012 for "religiously motivated hooliganism," and since then it has been an extremely controversial situation, both with celebrities like Paul McCartney and Madonna pleading for their release, and Tolokonnikova's hunger strike that ended with her being sent to a tuberculosis hospital in Siberia after demanding a transfer.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that in a formal review of the guilty sentencing of these two women, the Supreme Court pointed out that what the lower court overlooked or disregarded some things that would change the case for their sentence. For one thing, the women had no previous convictions. "The court did not provide any proof that Tolokonnikova, 24, and Alyokhina, 25, were motivated by hatred toward any social group in its verdict," the Supreme Court said in the decision.
In addition to that, the Supreme Court made a point to acknowledge the fact that there was no recognition of the "extenuating circumstances" in these cases. Those being that both women are mothers to young children.
Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina have three months left to serve at this point with their current legal standing. If the lower court complies with this new ruling from the Supreme Court, it would likely only take a few weeks off of their sentence. But perhaps there is some justice in the fact that the convictions of these two women have received a second look.
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