Pussy Riot punk band will receive the biannual 'Lennon-Ono' peace prize this Friday at the annual Amnesty International awards ceremony.

      The prize will be given to Peter Verizlov – the husband of band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who is currently in jail together with two other band members over the 'punk prayer' in Russia's main Church.

      Yoko Ono will give the award together with the Amnesty International's chief executive officer Suzan Nossel. After the Pussy Riot's arrest, that organization recognized the band members to be political prisoners. Yoko Ono says she decided to award the three women for their contribution to the freedom of women self-expression.

      Besides Pussy Riot, four other people will receive 'Lennon-Ono' peace prize, including 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.

      Starting from 2002, the 'Lennon-Ono' prize is given twice a year to the human rights and freedoms activists. Another ceremony to honour the winners will be held in Reykjavik, Iceland on October 9 - the 72nd John Lennon's birthday.

      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. Yoko Ono was one of world stars to ask Russian authorities for mercy for Pussy Riot members.