Pussy Riot Protest Art NFT Triggers Russian Criminal Charges

Pussy Riot Protest Art NFT Triggers Russian Criminal Charges

The Russian government has cited an NFT as evidence for criminal charges against Pussy Riot relating to “hurting the religious feelings” of the people of Russia, according to a press release issued by the group on Wednesday. Artist and activist Nadya Tolokonnikova, better known as the face and voice of Russian feminist protest and performance art group Pussy Riot, has been added to a list of wanted individuals by the Russian Interior Ministry, the Associated Press reported. Citing Russian news outlet Mediazona—an independent news service and media outlet that Tolokonnikova co-founded—the wire service noted that offending religious citizens became a criminal offense in Russia after a Pussy Riot protest in 2012. The Associated Press said that it reviewed the entry for Tolokonnikova in the Russian Interior Ministry database.