6 years ago by John Gentile

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina of Pussy Riot have filed lawsuits against the Russian government. The claims were not filed in Russian court, but rather, filed in the European Court of Human Rights. The basis of the lawsuit alleges human rights violations which occurred during their year-long imprisonment. The imprisonment was criminal punishment by the Russian government for a demonstration which took place in a Russian church.

Each woman is asking for a judgment in the amount of â¬120,000 for compensation and â¬10,000 in court fees. The women allege that the Russian government violated four articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, including those that guarantee freedom of expression, liberty, security and a fair trial, and those that prohibit torture. Further, they are asking the court to overturn their criminal conviction in Russia. The women stated that if they win, they'll transfer compensation to human rights organizations, including their own prisonersâ rights NGO, Zona Prava.