Yekaterina Samutsevich

On 17 August 2012, she was convicted of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred for a performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and sentenced to two years imprisonment. She has been recognized as a political prisoner by the Union of Solidarity with Political Prisoners. ==Career==

Samutsevich first studied computer science at Moscow Power Engineering Institute and worked at a research centre as a computer programmer, before quitting to study media art at the Rodchenko School of Photography and Multimedia For two years she worked for a defense contractor on a secret project, to develop software for the nuclear attack submarine K-152 Nerpa. Thereafter she worked as a freelance programmer. She is interested in LGBTQ issues. Court sessions were attended by her father, Stanislav Samutsevich, whom she lived with before her arrest, who stated that he felt "proud about how firm and prepared she is to face the punishment rather than betray her beliefs". ==Activism==

Samutsevich has been a member of the Voina collective since 2007. In 2010, Samutsevich was among the Voina activists who attempted to release live cockroaches into the Tagansky Courthouse; the extent to which they succeeded in this action is disputed. She was later prosecuted in the same building for their involvement in Pussy Riot's "punk prayer". She also took part in a series of actions, Operation Kiss Garbage, from January through March 2011. This protest comprised female members kissing policewomen in Moscow Metro stations and on the streets. It was primarily an anti-government protest, but also controversial because the non-consensual "ambush kissing" could be considered sexual battery. ==References==