A lawyer for the anti-Putin punk band Pussy Riot has been summoned for questioning over his role in a May 6 opposition rally that turned violent.
Investigators say Mark Feygin called for protesters to disobey police instructions at the protest, which came on the eve of Vladimir Putin’s inauguration for a third presidential term. Over a dozen people have have been detained since the demonstration, which saw violent clashes between protesters and police.
“It’s a purely political move,” Feygin told RIA Novosti. He also denied investigators’ accusations.
Feygin said the order to report to investigators on Monday, which could see him taken into custody, were timed to prevent him from taking part in an appeal hearing on October 1 against the two-year sentence handed out to three members of Pussy Riot at a controversial trial last month.
The band members were jailed over a performance at Moscow’s largest cathedral in late February that urged “Mother Mary” to “drive Putin out.” The court ruled that the performance hurt the feelings of Orthodox believers, but the group said the “punk prayer” was a political act and was a response to Orthodox Church support for Putin ahead of his March 4 presidential election victory.
Feygin also said the move could stop him from attending an anti-Putin rally set to take place in Moscow this weekend.