In another twist in a tale fraught with complications, Pussy Riot have had their appeal temporarily adjourned.

Three members of the Russian agit-punk collective were jailed for two years in August after performing a politically inflammatory guerrilla gig in Moscow’s Christ The Saviour cathedral. The group’s supporters, of which there are many, suggest that the severity of the sentence is due to their criticism of president Vladimir Putin

The trio’s appeal hearing has now been adjourned until October 10. The delay is due to one defendant, Yekaterina Samutsevich, dismissing her defence lawyer. The reasons for Samutsevich’s decision are, for now, not clear. Hopes are not high that the process will come out in the group’s favour: the appeal will only involve a reassessment of the verdict, rather than a new review of evidence.

In related news, a pro-Putin campaigner claims to have located the remaining members of Pussy Riot. Konstantin Goloskokov heads up Kremlin youth group Nashi, and has claimed to have passed on a list of names to police. Pussy Riot recently gave an incisive interview about their predicament, which is well worth a read. [via BBC News]