RIGA, August 21 - RAPSI. The Russian embassy in Latvia referred to a statement made recently by the country's foreign minister in connection with the Pussy Riot case as an interference in Russia's internal affairs and an attempt to politicize a trivial criminal case, Russian Embassy in Latvia representative Alexander Skachkov said.

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics expressed his regret on Monday regarding the sentence in the case. He said the sentence is "unjust and unfounded," although he added that the place of their protest was controversial. He urged Moscow to mitigate the sentence.

Skachkov said the statement may indirectly influence the public opinion and the court in Russia, and foreign human right activists should be more careful with their assessments of the case.

"If Latvian leaders call on Russia not to interfere in Latvian internal affairs, then, naturally, we should expect a similar approach from Riga," he said.

Five masked members of the Pussy Riot female punk rock band performed a "punk prayer" in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior in late February. A video later posted online caused a public outcry. The court sentenced Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, and Yekaterina Samutsevich to two years in prison for hooliganism on August 17.