Jailed Pussy Riot Members To Be Released

The two remaining jailed members of Russian punk collective Pussy Riot are set to be released from prison after the nation’s leaders passed a major amnesty law. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, who are serving a two-year sentence for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, were expected to be released in June, but should be freed within days, according to The Guardian.

The law was unanimously approved by Russia’s parliament Wednesday (December 18) to mark the 20th anniversary of the post-Soviet constitution. The bill apparently has the full backing of President Vladimir Putin, and it’s believed that the amnesty came about in an effort to placate critics of the country’s human rights record ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics, which begin in Sochi in January.

Back in March 2012, three members of Pussy Riot were arrested after staging an illegal “punk prayer” performance at Moscow’s Cathedral Of Christ The Savior as a protest against the reinstatement of President Vladimir Putin. That August, they were sentenced to two years in prison, but in October, Yekaterina Samutsevich won an appeal and was released.

[via NME]

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