Lamb of God frontman freed on bail

Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe has been released on bail from a Prague prison after being arrested upon arrival in the Czech Republic in June on a charge of manslaughter which he denies. He issued a statement on his return to the USA saying ""I feel VERY STRONGLY that as an adult, it would be both irresponsible and immoral for me not to return to Prague if I am summoned. This is not about bail money. This is about a young man who lost his life. I will act with honour, and I will fight to clear my good name in this matter".

Anti-Putin Pussy Riot members sent back to prison “in act of political repression”

Back in February we reported that all four members of Russian female punk rock quartet Pussy Riot had been arrested after performing ‘Putin has Pissed himself’ in Red Square and then on the 27^th March we reported the feminist punks were in more trouble - after an unsanctioned performance of their punk prayer "Virgin Mary Mother of God Expel Putin!" in Moscow's St Basil's Cathedral of Christ The Saviour. Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a public supporter of President Putin, said the band do the "devils work" and state television denounced the women's actions as "disgusting". Rather alarmingly three members of ten members plus collective, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (23), Yekaterina Samutsevich (19) and Maria Alehina (24), remain in prison on charges of hooliganism which could eventually mean a seven-year sentence. They were denied bail at a July hearing by the Khamovnichesky Court and having been in prison for five months already, now face for six more months in custody while the trial progresses. The Guardian reports that many Muscovites were happy enough to see a tough response to the band's irreverent act of rebellion, which was aimed at President Vladimir Putin, but with no trial date set, no signs that they will be released and opposition to Putin spreading, support for the trio has grown, even among those who at first condemned them. Now the country’s arts community is voicing its opposition and now 100 cultural figures who signed an open letter last week calling on the state to release the women, in an indication that popular unease at their plight is growing. Amnesty International has also called for the three women’s release.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/30/support-pussy-riot-trio