MOSCOW, September 13 – RAPSI. The defense of the convicted Pussy Riot band members hope the court will consider the words of Prime Minister and United Russia leader Dmitry Medvedev, who has stated that a suspended sentence would have been sufficient in their case, attorney Nikolai Polozov said.

“From the very beginning we said that our clients did not commit a criminal offence, but that they were nevertheless being prosecuted for a criminal, instead of an administrative offence, hence the unlawful sentence. We are glad that the Prime Minister has concluded that they should be released on any kind of pretext,” the attorney said.

On February 21, 2012, five young women wearing brightly colored balaclavas stood at the altar of Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral and performed a protest song entitled, "Holy Sh*t." Shortly thereafter, an edited video of the performance that was uploaded to the Internet incited a public outcry.

Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were convicted of disorderly conduct and sentenced on August 17 to two years imprisonment.

“As far as Russia’s image in the world is concerned, the most sensible way ahead would be to release the band members,” Polozov said.

The attorney does not see the prime minister’s statements as putting pressure on the courts. He hopes that the courts will conclude independently that band members must be released, otherwise the story will continue to be dragged out over their entire prison term and this would not serve anyone’s interests.