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Activist Maria Alyokhina fled Russia

On February 21, 2012, Maria Alyokhina (29 years old), together with her colleagues Nadezhda Tolkonikova (28 years old) and Ekaterina Samosevich (35 years old), performed “Punk Prayer” in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. The women entered the cathedral ambo, which ordinary people are not allowed to enter without an explicit priestly invitation, and performed in front of the altar. In the song, masked activists sang, among other things, “Mother of God, Virgin, drive out Putin.”

Then the three women were arrested and detained. On August 17, 2012, Alekhina and Tolokonnikova were sentenced to two years in prison for “riot” and “incitement to religious hatred”. Samosevich received a suspended sentence.

This was followed by complaints before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, a hunger strike by the two women and numerous demonstrations for their release around the world.

On December 23, 2013, Pussy Riot members were released – three months before the end of their sentences. This is because the Russian parliament passed an amnesty law introduced by the Kremlin on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Russian Constitution, and thus Putin issued a pardon for the women.

On February 21, 2012, Maria Alyokhina (29 years old), together with her colleagues Nadezhda Tolkonikova (28 years old) and Ekaterina Samosevich (35 years old), performed “Punk Prayer” in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. The women entered the cathedral ambo, which ordinary people are not allowed to enter without an explicit priestly invitation, and performed in front of the altar. In the song, masked activists sang, among other things, “Mother of God, Virgin, drive out Putin.”

Then the three women were arrested and detained. On August 17, 2012, Alekhina and Tolokonnikova were sentenced to two years in prison for “riot” and “incitement to religious hatred”. Samosevich received a suspended sentence.

This was followed by complaints before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, a hunger strike by the two women and numerous demonstrations for their release around the world.

On December 23, 2013, Pussy Riot members were released – three months before the end of their sentences. This is because the Russian parliament passed an amnesty law introduced by the Kremlin on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Russian Constitution, and thus Putin issued a pardon for the women.