Pussy Riot reunited

Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were due to be released in March, but instead walked free on Monday after they were granted amnesty by Russian authorities.

Alyochina, 25, then flew to meet up with Tolokonnikova, who was staying in the city where her grandmother lives. Alyochina told German daily newspaper "Die Welt" that she wanted to meet with human rights activists and improve prison conditions.

"We are going to work together and I hope I can help the women in the [prison] camp," she said. "In the prison where I was, the rights of other women are being violated."

The two women, who both have young children, had spent nearly two years behind bars for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" after they were among those who staged a performance critical of President Vladimir Putin at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow in February 2012.

They said they had reunited to discuss a human rights project they wanted to establish together.

"After my release from prison, I'm ready to work," Tolokonnikova, 24, told reporters.

'Publicity stunt'

The women were released under a wide-ranging amnesty which also saw former oil-tycoon and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky pardoned and set free after 10 years behind bars. Khodorkovsky, 50, immediately flew to Germany, where he also vowed to fight for the rights of prisoners.

The "Arctic 30" Greenpeace protestors were also expected to be spared prosecution under the amnesty.

The Pussy Riot members condemned the move by Russia's parliament as a publicity stunt designed to improve perceptions of the country's human rights record ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics, to be held in Sochi in February.

"I don't think the amnesty is a humanitarian act, I think it's a PR stunt," Alyokhina said.

Meanwhile, Tolokonnikova urged countries to boycott the Winter Olympics.

se/rc (AP, AFP, dpa)