Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova reportedly found on Russian authorities’ “most wanted” list

Pussy Riot member Nadya Tolokonnikova has reportedly been identified on a list of Russian authorities’ “most wanted” criminal suspects.

• READ MORE: Who are Pussy Riot? A guide to the Russian activist group who crashed the World Cup Final

According to the Associated Press, Tolokonnikova – a founding member of the feminist punk group, which has long been controversial in their native Russia for their incitive protests against Vladimir Putin’s regime – was first spotted in the Russian Interior Ministry’s database of criminal targets on Wednesday (March 29). The revelation reportedly came via Russian news outlet Mediazona, which was co-founded by Tolokonnikova.

It’s said that Tolokonnikova’s listing in the database shows her wanted for “criminal charges”, however these are not disclosed in any significant detail. The artist was notably jailed for more than a year after a Pussy Riot demonstration in 2012, where after performing inside the Cathedral Of Christ The Saviour in Moscow, she was arrested for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”. 

Tolokonnikova was also detained by Russian police in Sochi in 2014, with her and fellow Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina alleged to be involved in a hotel theft case; they were later released without any charges. Tolokonnikova has since left Russia, and in 2021, was added to a list of “foreign agents” identified by the Russian Ministry Of Justice.

As per the Associated Press, Tolokonnikova’s appearance on the Russian “most wanted” list could stem from a newly launched criminal case against her – as detailed by one of the country’s top human rights lawyers, Pavel Chikov – which accuses her of “offending religious believers’ feelings”. Such became a criminal offense in Russia following Pussy Riot’s controversial performance.

Pussy Riot’s most recent release is the standalone single ‘Putin’s Ashes’, which arrived back in January. It follows on from last December’s ‘Mama, Don’t Watch TV’ – with which the group called for Putin to be prosecuted for his war crimes against Ukraine – which itself arrived on the heels of their ‘Matriarchy Now’ mixtape.

Also in 2022, Pussy Riot member Masha Alyokhina’s made her escape from Russia following turbulence with authorities; in January of 2021, she was detained for two days after attending demonstrations that encouraged Russians to protest on social media. 

The post Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova reportedly found on Russian authorities’ “most wanted” list appeared first on NME.