 The trial of the three women started in Moscow 's Khamovniki District Court on July 30 , 2012 . Charged with " premeditated hooliganism performed by an organized group of people motivated by religious hatred or hostility , " they faced possible sentences of up to seven years in prison . In early July , a poll conducted in Moscow found that half of the respondents opposed the trial while 36 percent supported it ; the rest being undecided . Putin stated that while he saw " nothing good " about the band 's protest , " Nonetheless , I don 't think that they should be judged so harshly for this . " 
