Skip to content
News

Pussy Riot Members Sentenced to 15-Day Prison Sentences for World Cup Demonstration

A pitch invader, a member of the Russian protest-art group Pussy Riot, is escorted by stewards during the Russia 2018 World Cup final football match between France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 15, 2018. (Photo by Mladen ANTONOV / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS (Photo credit should read MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)

Three of the four members of Pussy Riot who rushed the field during the World Cup Final in Moscow yesterday have been arrested and placed under “15 days of administrative arrest” for the demonstration. Veronica Nikulshina, Olga Kurachyova, and Pyotr Verzilov will all serve the same sentence, according to the band (see tweets below), but Nikulshina will allegedly spend them “in a special prison.” Nikulshina is also reportedly barred from sporting events indefinitely, while Verzilov is banned for 3 years. A fourth member of the collective, Olga Pakhtusova, is awaiting sentencing. The group also alleged that all four members of the group had spent the night in the police station in uncomfortable conditions.

The group rushed the field in the second half of the game dressed in dated police uniforms, in a stunt that lasted roughly 25 seconds. Verzilov was grabbed by Croatian defender Dejan Lovren while on the pitch. According to the BBC, the members of the controversial Russian collective were charged with “violating the rules for spectators at sporting events and of wearing police uniforms illegally” and face fines of up to 10,000 and 1,500 roubles for the charges. In a statement posted to social media yesterday, Pussy Riot alleged that the demonstration was intended to protest suppression of political rallies and corrupt elections, and demand freedom for political prisoners in the country.