Feb 3, 2023
Masha Alyokhina is a member of Pussy Riot
— a feminist collective of artists and activists that came to
prominence in 2012 when five members, including Masha staged a
performance of the group’s anti-Putin song Punk Prayer: Mother
of God Drive Putin Away in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ
the Savior. The Pussy Riot members were arrested and convicted of
"hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" and the three were
sentenced to two years in prison for the offense. Masha has been
recognized as a political prisoner by the Union of
Solidarity with Political Prisoners. Amnesty
International named her a prisoner of
conscience due to the severity of the response of the Russian
authorities. After multiple arrests and periods of
imprisonment, Masha left Russia and has openly criticized the war
in Ukraine. She continues her work as an activist, artist and
musician.