Yesterday the two members of Pussy Riot got free from prison. Masja Aljochina and Nadejda Tolokonnikova were supposed to stay until March next year. After two years they are reunited again. For them it was a bit abrupt, because they were deprived from any information. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the constitution, Putin wanted to give amnesty to different groups of people, like for mothers with children. They both are mothers. Tolokonnikova, who wrote an open letter about the slavery and violence in camp number 14, district of Moldovia, and who later went on hunger strike, gave her comments to the reporters right after she got free.

by Charlie Crooijmans

Tolokonnikova believes that it is a propaganda stunt of Putin. They, like oil tycoon Michail Chodorkovski, didn’t have much time left in their prison term. Far more people should be set free.

She states that European countries can reconsider participation of the games; she is calling for a boycott. She considers her time in prison as a unique experience. It will be much easier for her to engage in human right activities.

She learned about the state from within and recognize a totalitarian regime. Russia is built on a prison colony, that’s why it is so important to start to change the prison system in order to change Russia. ‘The prison colonies are the face of the country’ (The Telegraph).

News and Noise saw the documentary Pussy Riot: a punk prayer at the IDFA (International Documentaries Festival Amsterdam). The film is produced and directed by Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin. It gives a very good impression of the courage of this feminist punk group. The images are confused and hasty, but the camera was there on the spot to capture the Pussy Riot actions. It ended when they got arrested and sent to prison. They will never stop provoking, unless something will change. So the next move will be any time soon; with or without the balaclavas.

Here you can read more information about the documentary.