Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova has been placed on the Russian government's wanted list, The Associated Press reports. The outlet cites the Russian Interior Ministry's database of wanted individuals — a list first discovered and shared by Pussy Riot-founded Russian news publication Mediazona.
The Mediazona report confirms that Tolokonnikova is facing criminal charges, but does not specify any further details of their nature. Just weeks ago, the artist and activist and the Pussy Riot collective released footage of "Putin's Ashes," their latest protest piece, created in summer 2022. It sees the collective burn an enormous painting of the Russian president, then stab the earth where its ashes fell.
Translations of court documents obtained by Pitchfork reveal that Tolokonnikova is being investigated for images posted to her Instagram account, deemed by the government as offensive to Christianity.
The paperwork also points to a Pussy Riot NFT entitled Virgin Mary, Please Become a Feminist, which Russian authorities are calling "an expression of obvious disrespect in relation to the icon image the Virgin Mary, depicted in an obscene form, so that the image is perceived as outwardly similar to the anatomical details of the female external genitalia."
According to Part One of Article 148 in Russia's criminal code, Tolokonnikova is breaking a law that was instated in response to Pussy Riot's 2012 anti-Putin performance piece "Punk Prayer," which was held outside the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. Tolokonnikova spent almost two years in a labour camp as punishment for her involvement.
Reportedly now living in the United States, the artist fled Russia in 2021 after being labelled a foreign agent by the Russian government.
The Mediazona report confirms that Tolokonnikova is facing criminal charges, but does not specify any further details of their nature. Just weeks ago, the artist and activist and the Pussy Riot collective released footage of "Putin's Ashes," their latest protest piece, created in summer 2022. It sees the collective burn an enormous painting of the Russian president, then stab the earth where its ashes fell.
Translations of court documents obtained by Pitchfork reveal that Tolokonnikova is being investigated for images posted to her Instagram account, deemed by the government as offensive to Christianity.
The paperwork also points to a Pussy Riot NFT entitled Virgin Mary, Please Become a Feminist, which Russian authorities are calling "an expression of obvious disrespect in relation to the icon image the Virgin Mary, depicted in an obscene form, so that the image is perceived as outwardly similar to the anatomical details of the female external genitalia."
According to Part One of Article 148 in Russia's criminal code, Tolokonnikova is breaking a law that was instated in response to Pussy Riot's 2012 anti-Putin performance piece "Punk Prayer," which was held outside the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. Tolokonnikova spent almost two years in a labour camp as punishment for her involvement.
Reportedly now living in the United States, the artist fled Russia in 2021 after being labelled a foreign agent by the Russian government.
