Madonna will be introducing members of Pussy Riot at a concert promoting human rights in New York City.

The 55-year-old American singer-songwriter said that she will be "honored" to introduce her "fellow freedom fighters", Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova at the Amnesty event, reported a channel.

She added that she admired their courage and has long supported their commitment and the sacrifices they have made.

The pair, along with another woman, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was arrested in August 2012 for singing a protest song in a Moscow cathedral and was released in December after spending 16 months in prison.

Amnesty International had announced last week that the two members of Russian protest punk rock act will make an appearance at the concert on 5 February.