Yoko Ono is set to give the award to the Russian group, three of whose members found themselves behind bars last month for their role in a ‘punk prayer’ that the Russian authorities deemed an act of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.
The late writer Christopher Hitchens, who died late last year, peace activist Rachel Corrie, who died in 2003 and author Jon Perkins are three other recipients of the award, with a fourth recipient still to be announced.
The award ceremony will be held in Iceland on October 9, which would have been Lennon’s 72nd birthday but the grant to Pussy Riot will be made in New York on September 21 to support the fight to see the three-jailed band members released.
Photo: Getty.
