MOSCOW, October 11 (RAPSI) – Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich on Friday adjusted her civil claim against her former attorney Violetta Volkova to 2,5 million rubles ($77,000).
Previously, Samutsevich demanded 2 million rubles ($61,874) in compensation for moral harm. She claims that Volkova posted unkind remarks about her on social networks during proceedings against other Pussy Riot members.
Samutsevich has earlier complained to the board of the Moscow region Bar Association, asking it to penalize the lawyer for providing substandard service.
In June, the Association spotted two violations in the practice of the attorney. "I defended Samutsevich free of charge and I did not charge her any money," Volkova said. "Furthermore, they believe that Samutsevich required an individual defense plan because her interests differed from those of Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina."
In February 2012, five young women wearing brightly colored balaclavas staged a punk rock prayer in Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral. An edited video of their performance was posted on the Internet and caused a public outcry.
In August 2012, the Khamovnichesky District Court in Moscow sentenced Samutsevich and two other Pussy Riot members - Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina - to two years in a prison settlement for hooliganism.
In October 2012, the Moscow City Court changed Samutsevich's verdict to a suspended sentence and released her immediately based on her new attorneys' argument that she had been seized by security guards prior to reaching the altar.
The sentences of Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova were upheld. In April 2013, the Zubova Polyana District Court in Mordovia rejected Tolokonnikova's request for parole. Alyokhina's request for parole was rejected by the Berezniki court on May 23.
The three women were represented in court by Volkova, Nikolai Polozov and Mark Feygin. Shortly before her appeal was considered by the court, Samutsevich rejected Volkova's services. Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina also replaced their lawyers later when they were already in custody.
