Russia condemned by European court over Pussy Riot punishments
Members of the punk collective were convicted of hooliganism and hate crimes following a protest in a cathedral.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Russian government violated the rights of the Pussy Riot punk collective during the group’s 2012 protest inside a Moscow cathedral.
Tuesday’s ruling ordered Russia to pay members of Pussy Riot more than 42,000 euro (£37,000).
Pussy Riot use outrageous stunts to draw attention to perceived abuses under Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
The group claimed responsibility for four protesters who barged onto the field during the World Cup final in Moscow.
Tuesday’s ruling concerned a separate protest.
The protesters twice slipped into churches and pulled out instruments, briefly performing a song containing profanities that was intended to protest the Orthodox Church leader’s endorsement of Mr Putin.
They were later convicted of hooliganism and hate crimes and sentenced to two years.
