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VICE News

Pussy Riot Goes Back to Jail

We head to Moscow to see what the band is doing with their newfound freedom.

Pussy Riot shocked Russia with their "Punk Prayer" back in February of 2012. The group was performing in a Moscow church, protesting the growing closeness between church and state under Russian President Vladimir Putin, but they became international celebrities when three members were arrested by the Russian authorities a few weeks later.

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina were convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" and sentenced to two years in prison. With just two months of their sentence left, Nadya and Masha – as they're known in Russia – were freed in a general amnesty by the Russian government. But most observers saw the move as an attempt to clean-up Russia's image before the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, rather than a change in policy towards Putin's opponents.

Simon Ostrovsky met up with Pussy Riot in Moscow just a couple weeks after they were released to find out what they're doing with their newfound freedom.

To keep up with Simon's coverage of the Olympics on VICE News through February, follow him on Twitter: @simonostrovsky