Two members of the Russian dissident punk group Pussy Riot came to the Capitol Tuesday and asked members of Congress to add 16 officials to the list of Russian human rights violators who face U.S. sanctions.

Before a throng of cameras and reporters, the women — Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina — said Russian President Vladimir Putin's crackdown on human rights was damaging that country.

"Putin is not leading Russia to stability, but to complete instability and chaos," Tolokonnikova said through a translator.

The pair was arrested in 2012 after an obscenity-laced performance criticizing Putin at Moscow's main cathedral. They spent nearly two years in prison, but since their release have continued decrying the lack of freedom in Russia and harsh government tactics against opponents.

The women said Russia has resumed abusing prisoners, including using mandatory psychiatric treatment for some. They said they hoped public pressure would force the mistreatment to stop.

The women said Russia has resumed abusing prisoners, including using mandatory psychiatric treatment for some. They said they hoped public pressure would force the mistreatment to stop.

"Silence is the most dangerous thing for a political prisoner," said Tolokonnikova.

By law, the United States can freeze assets and ban travel to the U.S. of Russians deemed to be human rights abusers. Currently, 18 Russians are on a public list of people facing such sanctions while an unknown number of others are on a confidential list.

The 16 people the women want sanctioned include Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Russia's interior minister. Also on the list were officials involved in prosecuting and trying people who participated in a large Moscow rally in May 2012 and officials at the prisons where Tolokonnikova and Alekhina were incarcerated.

The two met for a half hour with lawmakers, who later lauded them as heroes. The group included Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat who chairs the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a federal panel that monitors human rights in dozens of countries.

http://news.yahoo.com/pussy-riot-members-tell-congress-rights-abuses-170419970--politics.html

They want respect for themselves but their behaviour shows that they don't have respect for other people.

Poche,

Please do not believe everything that the western media is printing.

There should be no mercy of the Pussy rioters that desecrated a
religious service in a Cathedral or any other church.

What would have happened to them if they pulled the same thing
this say the National Cathedral in D.C. which was built partly with
tax payers monies. They still be St Elizabeth's mental hospital
nearby.  

That is why I said at the end;
They want respect for themselves but their behaviour shows that they don't have respect for other people.

I think that they should go to jail for what they did. they showed absolutly no respect for the people or for God. This "demonstration" was an outrage. If they don't agree with something about the government or their society there are venues where that can be expressed. I could even be convinced to agree with what they are complaining about if it were something reasonable. But I don't go along with commiting sacrilege to get the point across.