MOSCOW, Aug 10 (Reuters) - A senior ally of Russian
President Vladimir Putin used an obscene Twitter post to attack
Madonna on Friday after the pop star called for the release of
three women who face prison over an irreverent performance in
Moscow's main cathedral.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, a nationalist
politician and former envoy to NATO, posted the tweet after
Madonna told a Moscow concert audience the jailed members of
punk band Pussy Riot were "courageous" and deserved to be free.
"Every ex-wh*re tends to lecture everybody with age.
Especially during world tours and concerts," Rogozin, who now
leads Russia's drive to upgrade the army and defence industry,
wrote in a tweet in English.
The microblog posting was a crudely worded echo of frequent
warnings by Russian officials that Moscow will not accept
Western "preaching" on human rights and democracy, a message
Putin has repeatedly delivered during 12 years in power.
Madonna, who is American, donned a balaclava like those worn
by Pussy Riot performers during her concert in Moscow on Tuesday
night and was cheered loudly when she offered her support.
Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and
Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, stormed the altar of Russia's main
cathedral on Feb. 21 and sang a "punk prayer" calling on the
Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin, who was then campaigning to
return to the presidency after four years as prime minister.
Prosecutors want a judge to sentence them to three years in
prison for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.
They have been in jail since shortly after their
performance, which offended many in mostly Orthodox Christian
Russia, and Kremlin critics see their trial as part of a
crackdown on dissent as Putin starts a new six-year term.
The women have said the performance was meant as criticism
of close ties between Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church and
the clear if informal support its leader, Patriarch Kirill, gave
Putin during his successful election campaign.
EXCESSIVE REACTION?
Western governments and rights groups have said the
govermnent's reaction to the "punk prayer" was excessive and are
watching the trial closely. The judge is to give a verdict on
Aug. 17.
Rogozin, who some analysts view as a potential presidential
candidate in the next election in 2018, did not mention Madonna
by name in the English tweet on Friday or a Russian one on
Wednesday.
But few Internet users had any doubt that he was referring
to Madonna, who also spoke out in support of gay rights at a
concert in St. Petersburg, Putin's home town, on Thursday night.
"She spoke about freedom, it is the state bureaucrats who
are lecturing us every day on all the state channels," a Twitter
user called Alexander Oleinik wrote in response to Rogozin's
posting in Russian.
"Either take off the cross or put on your panties," Rogozin
replied. His spokeswoman confirmed the messages were genuine.
Rogozin, former leader of the nationalist political party
Rodina (Motherland), also wrote ironic messages about Pussy
Riot, likening their supporters to a religious sect.
Rogozin was appointed deputy prime minister late last year
as part of then prime minister Putin's drive to appeal to
moderate nationalists.
He is known for his sharply worded criticism of the West and
in particular of U.S. and NATO plans for a European missile
shield that Moscow calls a threat to its security.
On Friday, a group of Russian Orthodox hardliners burned
Madonna's picture outside Moscow's Christ the Saviour cathedral,
where Pussy Riot staged its punk protest.
(Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Steve Gutterman and Tim
Pearce)