MOSCOW (AP) – Russian authorities have put members of the punk group Pussy Riot on a wanted list for criminal suspects as the Kremlin works to stifle political dissent.
Russian news outlet Mediazona found an entry for Nadezhda Tolokonnikova in the Russian Interior Ministry’s database of wanted individuals on Wednesday. The entry, also reviewed by The Associated Press, said Tolokonnikova faces criminal charges, but did not specify what those charges were.
Tolokonnikova became famous for participating in the 2012 Pussy Riot protest at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. He spent almost two years in prison.
Earlier this month, Russia’s top human rights lawyer, Pavel Chikov, said a criminal case had been launched against Tolokonnikova on charges of offending religious believers, which became a criminal offense in Russia after the 2012 Pussy Riot protests.
Tolokonnikova left Russia and reportedly resided in the U.S. In 2021, the Russian government designated her a “foreign agent,” a label that brings additional government surveillance and carries pejorative connotations that can humiliate the recipient.
Russian authorities have applied the designation to independent media outlets and opposition activists.