Switzerland detains Russian punk band members for anti-war graffiti Band members released after a few hours

Members of the Russian punk group Pussy Riot were detained by police near the Swiss city of Bern on the evening of August 29 for spraying anti-war graffiti.

Alexander Cheparukhin, the group's producer, told the Mediazone news outlet that Masha Alekhina, Lucy Shtein and Taso Pletner were handcuffed and detained, with police officers saying they could be fined or even expelled from Switzerland, Politico reports.

However, they were released a few hours later. Swiss police said it was up to the owner of the graffitied wall whether to press charges.

A statement on the group's Facebook page said: "It turns out that two institutions located in Bern - Russian Embassy and the Swiss police - seem to act together."

Alekhina fled Russia in April dressed as a food courier, shortly after Shtein had also left the country.

The group is currently on a Europe tour and is supposed to be performing in Bern on Tuesday [August 30] evening. It is not clear whether that concert will take place, according to Swiss media.