The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Russian government violated the rights of the Pussy Riot punk collective during the group’s 2012 protest inside a Moscow cathedral.

Tuesday’s ruling ordered Russia to pay members of Pussy Riot more than 42,000 euro (£37,000).

Pussy Riot use outrageous stunts to draw attention to perceived abuses under Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

France v Croatia – FIFA World Cup 2018 – Final – Luzhniki Stadium
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin with the World Cup trophy after the final (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The group claimed responsibility for four protesters who barged onto the field during the World Cup final in Moscow.

Tuesday’s ruling concerned a separate protest.

The protesters twice slipped into churches and pulled out instruments, briefly performing a song containing profanities that was intended to protest the Orthodox Church leader’s endorsement of Mr Putin.

They were later convicted of hooliganism and hate crimes and sentenced to two years.