Pussy Riot are a feminist group of approximately 11 punk-rockers from Moscow. Formed in 2011, the band wear brightly coloured balaclavas and use only nicknames during interviews. They stage unauthorized provocative guerrilla performances in unusual public locations, which are edited into music videos and posted on the Internet. Their songs and protests cover topics including feminism, LGBT rights, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Orthodox Church complicity in authoritarian trends in contemporary Russia.
In March 2012, three members of the group were arrested and charged with hooliganism, and were sentenced to two years imprisonment. Two further members of the group are thought to have left Russia fearing prosecution. This attracted considerable criticism, with the case being adopted by human rights groups including Amnesty International, which designated the women prisoners of conscience.
