Nadezhda Tolokonnikova was born in Norilsk.
November 7 1989 years
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova was born in Norilsk. She is a member of the feminist punk group Pussy Riot. She is also a co-founder, along with Maria Alyokhina and Pyotr Verzilov, of the online publication Mediazona. She was one of three people convicted of the punk prayer "Mother of God, Drive Putin Away!" in 2012.
Black cassock, golden shoulder straps
All the parishioners crawl to bow
The Phantom of Freedom in Heaven
Gay Pride Sent to Siberia in Shackles
The head of the KGB, their main saint
Leading protesters to the pre-trial detention center under guard
Excellent student. Gold medalist. A fan of conceptual art. In 2006, she entered Moscow State University, studying philosophy on a state-funded scholarship.
While studying, she met Pyotr Verzilov. He became her husband. Together, they were members of the "Moscow faction" of the art group "Voina" (War), participating in its events. The most famous were a performance at the Biological Museum in 2008 (on the eve of the presidential election, couples made love under the slogan "Fuck for the Teddy Bear's heir") and the "Cockroach Court" in 2010 (before the verdict against the organizers of the "Forbidden Art 2006" exhibition, activists released 3000 Madagascar cockroaches into the courtroom corridor).
February 21, 2012 as part of Pussy Riot Tolokonnikova performed a punk prayer service at the Christ the Savior Cathedral. The "prayer service" lasted less than a minute. The performance led to a criminal investigation. The day before the presidential election, on March 3, Tolokonnikova was arrested on charges of hooliganism "motivated by religious hatred." She was sentenced to two years in prison.
She was released in late 2013. She works to protect prisoners' rights. She made a cameo appearance in House of Cards. She has lived in the United States for the past few years. In 2021, the Ministry of Justice designated Tolokonnikova a "foreign agent media outlet." In 2023, the Investigative Committee opened a new criminal case against her for insulting religious feelings due to social media posts.
We are outraged that the great, bright Christian philosophy is being so vilely used. We are disgusted that the most beautiful thing is now being put on its knees.
In a 2018 interview with Yuri Dud, she said:
The ideal Russia is one where people aren't prevented from being different. Where you're not punished for having unusual ideas.
