Pussy Riot should be freed, says Russian Prime Minister Medvedev
Members of the all-girl punk band ‘Pussy Riot,’ Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (C), Maria Alyokhina (R) and Yekaterina Samutsevich (L), sit behind bars during a court hearing in Moscow on July 20, 2012.
Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is calling for the release of the punk band Pussy Riot.
According to the Associated Press, it's a sign their release could happen when their case comes up for appeal next month on Oct. 1.
More from GlobalPost: Pussy Riot appeals hooliganism conviction in Russia
"In my view, a suspended sentence would be sufficient, taking into account the time they have already spent in custody," Medvedev said during a televised meeting with members of his United Russia party in the city of Penza, the AP reported.
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Maria Alyokhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, were convicted earlier this month and sentenced to two years in prison for a guerilla performance at Moscow's Christ the Savior cathedral in February, according to The Associated Press.
In that performance, the feminist rockers criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin. Their sentences have drawn international criticism for being too harsh and has shed light on what some call Putin's increasingly repressive regime.
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