Maria Alyokhina is a Russian political activist and member of the punk rock collective ;Pussy Riot. As part of the group, she staged an impromptu performance entitled “Punk Prayer – Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!” in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. For her role in the protest, Alyokhina was convicted of “hooliganism” and served 21 months in a Russian prison camp. After her release in December 2013, Alyokhina, along with her fellow imprisoned bandmate Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, launched a new project focusing on the rights of Russian prisoners. She continues to take part in protests against Vladimir Putin’s regime, and has been arrested for her activism since her release.