Pussy Riot Members Launch News Site Focusing on Russia’s Courts + Prisons

Pussy Riot might be in the middle of suing the Russian government, but it doesn't mean they aren't looking toward other avenues to push their cause and spread awareness.

Entitled MediaZona, Nadya Tolokonnikova and Maria Alekhina launched an independent news site today (Sept. 4), which will focus on the Russia's court and prisons systems as well as the country's law enforcement practices.

Sergey Smirnov, one of Russia's premier political journalists, will be leading the helm as the site's editor-in-chief. Other reporters who will also contribute as part of the staff include Elena Shmaraeva, Egor Skovoroda and Maria Klimova. Both Tolokonnikova and Alekhina will also be writing pieces for the online publication.

"Since our release from prison six months ago we've felt that Russian media are no longer able to cover what is going on," Tolokonnikova says in a statement. "Because of the heavy censorship by authorities there is no space for anything in the media that criticizes Putin's policies and tracks human rights abuses by Russian courts and law enforcement. Courts, prisons, arrests, convictions, riots in facilities, political criminal cases, crimes by law enforcement officials -- our new media outlet will try to cover it all."

Alekhina agrees with that sentiment saying, "There is hardly any political issues left in Russia outside of courtrooms -- and there is a great need for transparency and media coverage of things that are happening down there, so we hope that MediaZona will help close that gap and change the face of independent Russian media."

Find out more about MediaZona here.