Pussy Riot will be receiving the biannual 'Lennon-Ono' peace prize this Friday at the annual Amnesty International awards ceremony. Yoko Ono, John Lennon's widow, will present the award to Peter Verizlov – the husband of band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova who is currently in jail for her part in a "Punk Prayer" in Russia's main Church.

The other 'Lennon-Ono' award receivers include three Americans: activist Rachel Corrie who was killed by an Israili bulldozer in Gaza in 2003, late journalist Christopher Hitchens, and economist John Perkins, as well as another "equally important activist" whose name has not yet been disclosed.

Another ceremony to honour the winners will be held in Reykjavik, Iceland on October 9.

Band members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina, and Ekaterina Samutsevich were sentenced to 2 years in prison for their punk prayer in the Christ the Savior Cathedral on February 21, 2012.

Previous winners of the award include Madonna, Sting, Bjork, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, Elijah Wood and many others.