This Summer’s arrest and subsequent conviction of members of Russian punk gr0up has prompted support from some of music’s most respected figures.

The likes of Bjork, Kathleen Hanna and more have all given eloquent statements of solidarity with the group – three members of which were sentenced to two years in prison this Friday gone – while Madonna performed a slightly more divisive strip ‘n’ pray routine. Regardless, even Madonna’s antics came across better than this quote from First Secretary of the Russian Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov. When asked about the group’s punishment, he replied thus [via Forbes]:

“Of course you can’t separate the trial from the overall situation in the country. Personally here’s my view: I would have taken a good belt, whipped them, and send them to their kids and parents. This would be an administrative punishment. And I would tell them that they shouldn’t engage in such blasphemy and disgraceful behavior.

“This [the pussy riot trial] is the start of a long process…I would listen closely to Valentin Rasputin, whom I consider the conscience of the country. In my view there is a sharp attack against Christianity as a cultural phenomenon. After all European civilization is based on Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. Concerning the communists – they have re-written it regularly and have decided to build the Kingdom of God on earth, and in doing so have allowed a number of mistakes and idiocy. It seems to me that the attempt to turn people against our moral foundations and roots (which are based on Orthodoxy) is extremely dangerous for everyone. There are those who understand this and those who don’t. I’ve spoken about this before.”