The Interview Maria Alyokhina, Russian punk activist: The price of political art was prison
Nov 12, 2025
Maria Alyokhina is a founding member of Pussy Riot, renowned for her fierce activism against the Kremlin. In this conversation, she shares her harrowing experiences in a penal colony following her arrest for the protest song Punk Prayer. Maria reflects on the power of political art and its cost, the difficulties of continuing activism under constant surveillance, and her dramatic escape from house arrest disguised as a courier. She discusses the growing dangers for protesters in Russia and her ongoing commitment to challenging oppression, despite the risks involved.
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Church Protest And Immediate Arrest
- Maria Alyokhina describes performing a 40-second protest song in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour to criticize Putin's use of the church for political gain.
- She recounts being surprised by a criminal case and later sentenced to two years for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.
Harsh Transport And Solitary Confinement
- Maria recounts a month-long, brutal transfer to a remote penal colony with no idea of the destination while fearing for her life during transport.
- She describes extreme cold near Berezniki, temperatures down to −35°C, and petitioning for warm clothes that led to solitary confinement.
Life Inside A Penal Colony
- She describes life in the penal colony: 100 women packed in one barracks, few toilets, no hot water, and an enforced working zone producing uniforms for low pay.
- Maria says other prisoners were banned from speaking to her, though they secretly passed notes to thank her after she campaigned for better conditions.
