Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina freed in Russia

Maria Alyokhina, a member of Russian punk band Pussy Riot, has been freed early from prison under an amnesty bill.

She told a Russian TV channel the amnesty was a "PR stunt" and she would rather have remained in prison.

The release of fellow band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova is also expected today.

The pair were jailed in August 2012 for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" after performing a protest song in Moscow's main cathedral.

Pavel Bandakov reports.