Maria Alyokina, the leader of the punk band Pussy Riot, left Russia on Tuesday, she said in an interview with New York times† The 33-year-old activist was under police surveillance, but managed to escape by posing as a meal courier. I got to Lithuania via Belarus with the help of friends and a European country.

Al-Yukhana was arrested in February and then placed under surveillance. This was another move by the Russian government against a member of the group who is highly critical of those in power in the Kremlin.

In 2012, the activist was sentenced to two years in prison for protesting against President Vladimir Putin in church with punk prayers. She continued to criticize Putin’s repression.

The opposition said the Russian rulers had placed several members of Pussy Riot on a list of so-called foreign agents to intimidate them and limit their influence.

Threatening to be exiled to a penal colony

Al-Yakhina was imprisoned six times last year, each for 15 days. In April, authorities announced that her house arrest would be commuted to 21 days in a criminal colony. Then I decided it was time to leave Russia, at least temporarily.

Pussy Riot now has about a dozen members. The group is preparing for a tour of Europe. In Iceland, the band will perform at an event organized by pro-Ukrainian activists.