NOVOSIBIRSK, August 16 - RAPSI. Last Thursday Novosibirsk artist Artyom Loskutov filed a counterclaim against the Novosibirsk lawyers who earlier sought to recover compensation from the Pussy Riot punk band's members, Loskutov told RIA Novosti.

In early August, the law firm Ryabinina, Zinovyev and Krestyanov filed a lawsuit in Moscow's Kuntsevsky District Court on behalf of a Novosibirsk resident. The Novosibirsk resident has sued members of the Pussy Riot band and is seeking compensation for moral harm which was allegedly inflicted upon her by the performance at the Christ the Savior Cathedral. The suite seeks 30,000 rubles ($941) in compensation.

"I think they are crossing the line," Loskutov said. Loskutov believes that the lawyers filed the lawsuit simply to make money off other people's misery and to gain some publicity. While commenting to the media, he added that the lawyers are only inciting hatred and animosity toward the Pussy Riot members.

Loskutov's lawsuit seeks 30 kopecks (one cent) from each lawyer involved. "Of course it would be great to recover thirty pieces of silver from each of them, but we don't have such currency," Loskutov said, recalling the 30 pieces of silver Judas took to betray Jesus in the Bible story.

Margarita Sokolova, a representative of the law firm involved in preparing the suit against Pussy Riot, told RIA Novosti that the plaintiff was outraged with the video of Pussy Riot's punk prayer posted in the Internet.

"The actions of the Pussy Riot band members caused the woman moral suffering, for which she is now seeking compensation in court," Sokolova said. "The woman has been attending church since childhood. She is a believer and considers the actions of the Pussy Riot members unacceptable," she said, adding that it was a lack of respect for the Orthodox faith that made the woman turn to courts.

In March, images stylistically reminiscent of icons appeared on light boxes. The icon-esque images were in support of the arrested Pussy Riot band members. Particularly, one poster showed a haloed mother and child composition, with the woman wearing a Pussy Riot style stocking-mask. Law enforcement authorities identified Loskutov as the alleged vandal.

Three administrative cases based on offences against religion were initiated against Loskutov. The magistrate court acquitted Loskutov on one count for lack of evidence. Of the two remaining counts, Loskutov was found guilty and was fined a total of 1,000 rubles ($31.36).