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Pussy Riot activist held in Moscow over prisoner demo | Pussy Riot activist held in Moscow over prisoner demo |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A Pussy Riot activist and another protester have been arrested in Moscow after staging a brief street performance to support women prisoners. | |
Nadya Tolokonnikova, along with fellow activist Katya Nenasheva, dressed as prisoners and attempted to sew a Russian flag before being dragged away. | Nadya Tolokonnikova, along with fellow activist Katya Nenasheva, dressed as prisoners and attempted to sew a Russian flag before being dragged away. |
Both were released after three hours, Ms Nenasheva told the BBC. | |
Ms Tolokonnikova spent 21 months in jail after a Pussy Riot protest against Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral. | Ms Tolokonnikova spent 21 months in jail after a Pussy Riot protest against Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral. |
The human rights campaigner staged her new protest on Russia's national day. | The human rights campaigner staged her new protest on Russia's national day. |
While under arrest on Friday she posted messages on Facebook (in Russian) saying she wanted to draw attention to the struggles of female prisoners, both while incarcerated and once released. | While under arrest on Friday she posted messages on Facebook (in Russian) saying she wanted to draw attention to the struggles of female prisoners, both while incarcerated and once released. |
Russian media reports said the two women had been detained for holding an "unsanctioned rally" in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square - the site of mass anti-government protests that began in 2011. | Russian media reports said the two women had been detained for holding an "unsanctioned rally" in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square - the site of mass anti-government protests that began in 2011. |
"The police themselves did not say what we'd been detained for," Ms Nenasheva told the BBC. | |
"At first they talked about an administrative violation then they said they had detained us just to check our identity," she said in a written statement. | |
Since being released last year, Ms Tolokonnikova has focused on campaigning around the world against President Vladimir Putin. | Since being released last year, Ms Tolokonnikova has focused on campaigning around the world against President Vladimir Putin. |
She was jailed along with fellow Pussy Riot members, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, in August 2012 after being convicted of hooliganism. | She was jailed along with fellow Pussy Riot members, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, in August 2012 after being convicted of hooliganism. |
They were among five members of the radical group to stage an obscenity-laced "punk prayer" in Moscow's biggest cathedral. | They were among five members of the radical group to stage an obscenity-laced "punk prayer" in Moscow's biggest cathedral. |
The act was seen as blasphemous by many Russians, and was condemned by the Orthodox Church. | The act was seen as blasphemous by many Russians, and was condemned by the Orthodox Church. |
Ms Samutsevich was freed on probation in October 2012, but Ms Tolokonnikova and Ms Alyokhina remained in jail until their release in December 2013. | Ms Samutsevich was freed on probation in October 2012, but Ms Tolokonnikova and Ms Alyokhina remained in jail until their release in December 2013. |
In February 2014, members of Pussy Riot signed an open letter insisting that Ms Alyokhina and Ms Tolokonnikova should no longer be described as part of the punk rock collective. | In February 2014, members of Pussy Riot signed an open letter insisting that Ms Alyokhina and Ms Tolokonnikova should no longer be described as part of the punk rock collective. |
They said the pair had forgotten about the "aspirations and ideals of our group" and were wrong to appear at an Amnesty International concert in New York. | They said the pair had forgotten about the "aspirations and ideals of our group" and were wrong to appear at an Amnesty International concert in New York. |