The European Court of Human Rights has condemned Russia for its reaction to 2012 protests by the Pussy Riot punk band in a Moscow cathedral, saying the band members had been subjected to humiliating treatment and judged too severely.

Key points: Three activists were prosecuted in 2012 for performing a "punk prayer"

Three activists were prosecuted in 2012 for performing a "punk prayer" The court ordered Russia to pay a total of 48,760 euros in damages and judicial expenses

The court ordered Russia to pay a total of 48,760 euros in damages and judicial expenses Four members of the group were arrested for protests at the World Cup

The anti-Kremlin group is known for a series of high-profile protests including most recently a pitch invasion at Sunday's World Cup football final.

Three activists were prosecuted in Russian courts for performing a "punk prayer" in Moscow's main Orthodox cathedral in protest against President Vladimir Putin six years ago.

Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova spent nearly two years in prison.

Members of the group Pussy Riot sing above Red Square before the arrests in 2012. ( Reuters: Denis Sinyakov )

The court, which ordered Russia to pay a total of 48,760 euros in damages and judicial expenses, said in its ruling that it "accepted that a reaction to breaching the rules of conduct in a place of religious worship might have been warranted".

However, it found that sentencing them to imprisonment for simply having "worn brightly coloured clothes, waved their arms and kicked their legs around and used strong language, without analysing the lyrics of their song or the context of their performance, had been exceptionally severe".

Russia's Justice Ministry said on its website that the ruling had not yet taken effect and that it had three months to decide if it would appeal against it.

Sorry, this video has expired Pussy Riot World Cup protesters get 15 days in prison

Russia has been angered in the past by a number of decisions by the Strasbourg-based court, which polices the European Convention on Human Rights.

The court said Russia had also violated the convention's prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment.

It said the activists "had to suffer the humiliation of being permanently exposed in a glass dock during their hearings", adding that the glass dock and security had prevented the band members from communicating with their lawyers without being overheard during the trial.

One of the protesters made it to the centre of the pitch and greeted French player Kylian Mbappe before she was detained. ( Reuters: Darren Staples )

A Moscow court on Monday handed down 15-day jail sentences on four members of the group for interrupting Sunday's World Cup final between France and Croatia when they ran onto the pitch wearing fake police uniforms.

In March, the RIA news agency cited unidentified government sources as saying Russia was considering withdrawing from the convention and ending cooperation with the European Court of Human Rights.

The reason for considering withdrawing from the court was because of the fact that many of its decisions ran counter to Russia's interests, the sources were cited as saying.

Sorry, this video has expired Russian protest group Pussy Riot invade the pitch at the World Cup final (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters