Putin vs the Punk Band -- Kafkaesque (characterized by surreal distortions and usually by a sense of impending danger)*

A few weeks ago I wrote about the quiet protests in Moscow, where writers and others silently marched to protest Putin's crackdown on dissenters and his questionable re-election.

Despite threats of heavy fines and more for any demonstrations, vocal or otherwise, not sanctioned by the Putin government,the  all girl Russian punk band, "Pussy Riots" demonstrated their opposition to the Putin regime by performing anti-Putin lyrics in the Church of Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow.  For example:  "Virgin Mary drive away drive away Putin."  The group which has been jailed since March, has just been given their sentence--two years in prison after a trial which seemed like something out of Alice in Wonderland.  The presiding judge read the verdict which noted the defendants shape of their heads, and emphasized their "mixed psychological disorders, including, "individualism, stubborn expressions of opinions and unwillingness to cede positions." Although this seems ludicrous, other business leaders, attorneys, have been jailed after trials using trumped up charges to imprison them.

But, this punk rock band has gotten more attention, and perhaps as Gary Kasparov, the famous chess champion and journalist said, who himself was roughed up and jailed after answering questions to journalists in front of the court house, "It may take a punk band to bring world-wide attention to Putin's crackdown on dissenters." 

There's more, though, Madonna, who at a recent concert in Moscow said, "Nadia, Katya, and Masha, I pray for your freedom.  The Russian Orthodox church is involved in all this and see the women as "devils."  "War has been declared against the Orthodox people," said a top church official.  And. . Madonna is being sued for 10 millions dollars by some Russian activists because she came out in support of gay rights in her August 9th concert in St. Petersburg. 

Kafkaesque describes this.  See above definition. *Second College Edition:The American Heritage Dictionary.