Pussy Riot are one of the most high-profile activist groups in Russia. In the past couple of months alone members have been arrested after they staged a pitch invasion at the World Cup before being released, arrested, then released again.
Now two members have been arrested while going about their daily lives. Veronika Nikulshina and a friend were driving in downtown Moscow over the weekend when they were stopped and detained by the police and “anti-extremism agents”. Pussy Riot’s twitter account confirmed the news by saying the police had claimed “that Nika and her friend were refusing to agree to a ‘terrorist check’ of their car – and they had to be arrested”.
They continued: “Our activist Nika greets everyone from behind the bars of a Moscow police station, spending the night here until tomorrow's court hearing”
Peter Verzilov, a male member of the group who is also an artist, was taken into custody after he left his home for unspecified reasons.
The news comes after Masha Alyokhina’s recent travel ban troubles which almost meant she could not make it to take part in the Edinburgh Fringe festival. She was stopped by Russian border guards on August 8 at Moscow Domodedovo airport. She was told she could not leave the country after refusing to perform community service for a protest held against Russia’s powerful Federal Security Service.
As recently reported, the Russian government has gone into overdrive cracking down on so-called extremists who pose a terrorist threat. However, since that has included teens reposting funny memes satirising Christianity, it’s disconcerting to say the least.