Madonna to introduce Pussy Riot at New York concert
By Sam Rigby
Madonna will introduce Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina at an upcoming Amnesty International concert.
The pair will be guests of honour at the February 5 gig in Brooklyn, which also features performances from Lauryn Hill, Imagine Dragons and the Flaming Lips.
The pair were imprisoned back in their native Russia in August 2012 for “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” after playing a protest song in Moscow’s cathedral.
In a statement, Madonna said: “I have admired [Pussy Riot’s] courage and have long supported their commitment and the sacrifices they have made in the name of freedom of expression and human rights.”
Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina will only say “a few words” when they appear at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center next week.
“[Amnesty] did a lot to support us while we were in prison and their work is very important for activists and inmates all over the world,” Tolokonnikova said.
The pair also plan to “inspect the conditions of U.S. inmates” during their visit.
“We are planning to visit several US prisons in the state of New York, including a maximum-security prison for female inmates,” she added.