Pussy Riot members arrive for second day of trial

2012-07-31 82

(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)

Members of Russian female punk band Pussy Riot arrived for the second day of their trial on Tuesday (July 31).

They face up to seven years in jail for protesting against Vladimir Putin inside a Moscow cathedral, a charge they said was aimed at spreading fear and silencing dissent.

The Pussy Riot trial is being seen as a test of Putin's tolerance of opposition at the start of his third presidential term.

The three members were charged with "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostility" for a performance in February when they entered the Christ the Saviour Cathedral, ascended the altar and called on the Virgin Mary to "throw Putin out!"