Abdul Qowi Bastian – About a dozen Indonesian punks held a rally on Wednesday in front of the Russian embassy in Jakarta to demand the release of the Russian female punk rock band Pussy Riot, now serving two years in prison for "hooliganism" after they held an impromptu show criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We demand that President SBY exerts pressure on the Russian government for the release of Pussy Riot, and to provide room for freedom of expression, as well as eliminate repressive actions," said Michael, one of the protesters, referring to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono by his initials.

Grouped under the Solidarity of Free Humans, the group comprised of just a few dozen said that the moment was ideal, after President Yudhoyono recently met with Putin during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vladivostok, Russia.

Michael said that when punks came under fire from shariah police in Aceh in late 2011, support for the embattled teens poured in from overseas, including from punk groups in Russia, who sprayed graffiti on the outer wall of the Indonesian embassy in Moscow in a December protest. "How could we not care when they are facing problems there?" Michael said.

Russian press attache Dmitry Solodov, who met with the protestors, said the embassy respected the act of freedom of expression by the protestors.

Michael, who did not identify himself as a punk, said the group had no plans to stop their protest at the embassy. "There will be more surprises. We will not stop until our voice is heard," he said.

In December last year, shariah police in Aceh arrested 65 punks and detained them for 10 days for "re-education" through "spiritual and physical coaching." Authorities argued that the punk's lifestyle ran against Islamic teachings.

Earlier this month, shariah police in Aceh continued their crackdown on the punks again, arresting five youths in a raid on an internet cafe in Banda Aceh.