Update: Nadezhda Tolokonnikova’s whereabouts were disclosed on November 13, 2013, by Russia’s presidential human rights ombusdman’s office. It is now understood that Tolokonnikova has been transferred to a prison colony in Krasnoyarsk province, Siberia. The Russian authorities had refused to inform her family or lawyer of her whereabouts for three weeks. Below is our original call to action demanding that her location be revealed.

PEN International is extremely concerned for the well-being of imprisoned Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, whose current whereabouts have not been disclosed by the Russian authorities. On October 22, 2013, she was moved from a penal colony where she was serving a two-year prison sentence, and it is believed that she is in transit to—or has already arrived at—an unknown prison. Neither her husband nor her lawyer has had any contact with her for three weeks. Tolokonnikova’s husband has said that an official in the prison administration informed him of a possible move to a prison colony in Siberia, but this has not been confirmed officially.

Take Action

Write a letter: Write to President Vladimir Putin and to Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov, demanding that Nadezhda Tolokonnikova’s husband and family be informed of her whereabouts. Tell them that Russia is violating the UN’s rules on prisoners.

Spread the word: Use the social media tools below to share this page and get the word out. You can tweet President Putin (@KremlinRussia_E) directly, asking him to reveal Tolokonnikova’s location; use the Twitter hashtag: #WhereIsNadezhdaTolokonnikova?

Background Information

On August 17, 2013, Tolokonnikova and two other Pussy Riot band members, Mariya Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, were convicted on charges of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” following the band’s performance of a “punk prayer” at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow in February 2012. Each woman received a two-year prison sentence (although Samutsevich’s sentence was later suspended).

Russia’s refusal to disclose Tolokonnikova’s whereabouts is in direct violation of the UN’s Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, which state that prisoners should be allowed regular communication with family and friends and that family members must be notified when a prisoner is transferred from one prison to another.

Send Your Letter To

President Vladimir Putin
23, Ilyinka Street
Moscow, 1031132
Twitter: @KremlinRussia_E (copy @PENAmerican and @pen_int)

Alexander Konovalov
Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation
14, Ilyinka Street
Moscow, 119991



Please copy appeals to the diplomatic representative for Russia in your country if possible.