Pussy Riot members tour art exhibit in Singapore

2014-01-17 223

Members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot toured an art exhibit in Singapore where they are shortlisted to win an award for their "Punk Prayer" video.

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina were jailed for nearly two years after performing an obscenity laced anti-Putin song in a cathedral in Moscow.

Their imprisonment gained international attention and drew heavy criticism from human rights groups. They were released in December on an amnesty bill as the country prepares to host the Winter Olympics.

During the art exhibit, the woman said it was actually because of their incarceration that their voices have been heard.

(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MARIA ALYOKHINA, PUSSY RIOT MEMBER

"If nothing of what happened to us after the incident happened, there might have never been any nomination. And here we should pay tribute to Russian state"

(TOLOKONNIKOVA INTERRUPTING)

"May be some Russian official should have been invited to share the nomination w