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# Freed Pussy Riot Members Call Putin's Amnesty A 'PR stunt'

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/bTv6qkNM.m3u8" -->
## Video: Freed Pussy Riot Members Call Putin's Amnesty A 'PR stunt'

[Watch (HLS stream): Freed Pussy Riot Members Call Putin's Amnesty A 'PR stunt'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/bTv6qkNM.m3u8) (1:27)

![Freed Pussy Riot Members Call Putin's Amnesty A 'PR stunt'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/bTv6qkNM/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2013-12-23. The band sentenced to two years in prison for hooliganism in 2012 was released early under a new Russian amnesty law. The move has widely been interpreted as a charm campaign as the country prepares to host the Winter Olympics in Sochi._


---

Jul 27, 2023 4:03 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[Pussy Riot Members Talk World Cup Stunt and Activism in Russia](/video/FHB1ABYA/)

### Pussy Riot Members Talk World Cup Stunt and Activism in Russia

[Vladimir Putin's Charm Offensive Kicks Off Another Year With 2019 Calendar](/video/5BqSqxl7/)

### Vladimir Putin's Charm Offensive Kicks Off Another Year With 2019 Calendar

[Pussy Riot Was Immediately Detained After Their Release From Prison for World Cup Stunt](/video/JxUgEtWi/)

### Pussy Riot Was Immediately Detained After Their Release From Prison for World Cup Stunt

---


## Transcript

>> They were only out of prison for a few minutes, but that was plenty of time for 2 members of the band, Pussy Riot to criticize the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin all over again. One of the band members, Maria Alyokhina told reporters, her release was a PR stunt, before saying; she'd rather have served a full prison term. -[ Foreign Language ]

>> Three members of the band were charged with hooliganism in early 2012 for a profanity heavy performance inside a Moscow cathedral, where they criticized the Russian Orthodox churches' support of Mr. Putin. The two women were released early from their 2- year prison since this Monday; thanks to a new Russian amnesty law because they both have small children. And they were not shy about calling the motives behind their releases less than genuine. Russia has come under intense international scrutiny ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi because of its human rights record. And many interpret the amnesty law as part of a charm campaign.

>> She said, she thinks it's no coincidence. But it's 2 months before the Sochi Olympics and that of course, it was a publicity stunt.

>> The BBC reports, Russia has spent $ 50 billion on these games, the most ever for the Olympics. That and Mr. Putin, leading off the Olympic torch relay have led some reporters to dub this, The Putin Olympics. Alyokhina told reporters, she and her bandmates now play into become human rights activists. For Time, I'm Carissa Loethen.

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