MOSCOW, September 5 - RAPSI. Konstantin Dolgov, Russia's Foreign Ministry's envoy for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law takes the position that the Pussy Riot case, which provoked a wave of criticism in the West, did not infringe upon free speech and self-expression, according to the Foreign Ministry's press office.

Dolgov met with French Ambassador at Large for Human Rights, Francois Zimeray. According to the press department report, Zimeray has set forth the French position on the case, having called the sentence "excessively heavy" and noted that it has caused a massive outcry both in France and in Europe in general.

Dolgov responded that "the decisions of independent judicial authorities should be respected, something the French ambassador agreed with", reads the report. The Russian diplomat emphasized that the punk band's conduct "violated not only the law, but also traditional Russian values and moral concepts, and affected the rights and sentiments of millions orthodox believers."

During the conversation, Dolgov called on Russia's foreign partners to refrain from politicized judgments that cannot be regarded as anything but interference in Russia's internal affairs.

On February 21, 2012, five young women wearing brightly colored balaclavas stood at the altar of Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral to perform a protest song entitled, "Holy Sh*t." Shortly thereafter, an edited video of the performance that was uploaded to the Internet incited a public outcry.

Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were convicted of hooliganism and sentenced on August 17.

In accordance with the law, the sentence has not yet taken effect.