Pussy Riot members Nadya Tolokonnikova, 24, and Maria Alekhina, 25, were released from prison. This release comes three months before their scheduled release date.
The two women were arrested for performing a “punk prayer” according to Reuters and were sentenced to two years in prison for actions motivated by "religious hatred or hostility."
The duo were set to be released in March but under a new Russian amnesty law that was passed last week prisoners "who haven't committed violent crimes, first-time offenders, minors and women with small children" are allowed amnesty from their imprisonment, according to USA Today. Both members are mothers to small children.
While imprisoned Alekhina went on a hunger strike and Tolokonnikova protested the treatement of prisoners with an open letter. Days after the letter was posted Tolokonnikova disappeared for 21 days during a prison transfer.
President Vladimir Putin expressed no regret for the imprisonment of the two women. "I was not sorry that they ended up behind bars. I was sorry that they were engaged in such disgraceful behaviour, which in my view was degrading to the dignity of women."