Episode 186 Pussy Riot's Masha Alyokhina

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.