Rogozin slams Madonna as 'ex-whore'

A Russian deputy prime minister referred to pop icon Madonna as a "former whore" on Twitter after she called for the release of jailed members of punk group Pussy Riot at a Moscow concert.

"Every former whore seeks to lecture everyone on morality as she gets older. Especially during tours and gigs abroad," deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin said on his Twitter account.

At her packed concert in a Moscow stadium on Tuesday night, the US Queen of Pop said she dreamt of a world where everyone had the right to express themselves freely.

Stripping to a black bra, she called on the Russian authorities to release the three members of all-girl punk band who are standing trial for performing a song criticising President Vladimir Putin at Moscow's biggest church in February.

"Either take off your cross, or put on your knickers," the outspoken former NATO envoy added.

Pro-Kremlin and Orthodox activists plan to hold protests ahead of her concert Thursday in the northwestern city of Saint Petersburg when she is set to criticise a local law banning the provision of information on homosexuality to minors.

AFP