Pussy Riot On The Run: Two Band Members Flee Russia To Escape Prosecution

Two members of the Russian all-female punk band Pussy Riot have fled the country, according to a Twitter statement from the group on Sunday.

"In regard to the pursuit, two of our members have successfully fled the country! They are recruiting foreign feminists to prepare new actions!" said the post.

A subsequent tweet assured netizens that at least 12 band members remain in Russia to continue pushing for change there .

Three members of Pussy Riot were convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" on Aug. 17 and sentenced to two years in a penal colony. The two fleeing members hope to avoid a similar fate, according to Pyotr Verzilov, the husband of Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who was among the three sentenced.

"Since the Moscow police are searching for them, they will keep a low profile for now," said Verzilov to Reuters. "They are in a safe place beyond the reach of the Russian police."

Pussy Riot staged an anti-Kremlin performance inside the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow in February. Several members of the band -- all outfitted with candy-colored tights and face masks -- rushed the pulpit to sing, dance and shout as nuns and security officials rushed to silence them.

Tolokonnikova, 22, Maria Alyokhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, became the focus of international attention after being detained by the Russian courts. Though currently jailed, they are appealing their sentence.

Many outside observers -- including Russian activists, international politicians like U.S. President Barack Obama, and famous entertainers like Madonna -- saw the two-year sentence as a heavy-handed response to dissent. The band has long protested against Russian President Vladimir Putin and his administration, accusing the Kremlin of human rights violations and authoritarianism.

Earlier this week, Moscow police said they are still searching for remaining members of the band.