While the prosecution of three members of the Russian protest band Pussy Riot has raised concerns about freedom of speech and the growing influence of the Orthodox Church in Vladimir Putin's Russia, the American actress Alicia Silverstone has identified another “urgent matter†exposed in news reports about the case: Russian prisons do not serve vegan meals.
In a letter to the Russian president posted online by the animal-rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Ms. Silverstone noted that a vegan member of the band, jailed with two colleagues for performing a “a punk prayer service†inside Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior - singing an obscene anthem punctuated with cries of, “Holy Mother, send Putin packing!†- collapsed in court this month.
The actress, who previously starred in a Peta ad promoting vegetarianism, wrote:
Dear President Putin, I have been following t he trial involving three members of the band Pussy Riot. As a vegan myself, I was deeply concerned to learn that one of the women, Maria Alekhina, who is a vegan, reportedly collapsed from hunger during a court session. I respectfully request you to ensure that vegan meals are available to Ms. Alekhina and all prisoners.
Regardless of the trial and its outcome, I'm sure you can agree that everyone has the right to show compassion and refrain from harming animals by being vegan. May I please have your assurance that Ms. Alekhina will have access to vegan foods? Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent matter.
A spokeswoman for Peta confirmed to The Lede on Wednesday that the letter is genuine, and provided a link to a .pdf copy of the original text, signed by Ms. Silverstone.
Alicia Silverstone Letter to President Putin
As my colleagues Michael Schwirtz and David Herszenhorn have reported, the cas e of the jailed riot grrls has become a cause célèbre among musicians, with everyone from Franz Ferdinand to Madonna calling on Mr. Putin to ensure their freedom.
Last week, the Icelandic singer Björk released “a statement in defense of Pussy Riot†and dedicated a song to the band during a performance in Finland.
As The Guardian reported last month, after the women appeared in court to defend themselves, the father of one of the jailed protesters said that he expected his daughter to face the maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
