Black Keys - Black Keys To Boycott Russia After Punk Band's Jailing

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 23, Maria Alekhina, 24, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, were found guilty of hooliganism charges on Friday (17Aug12) after singing a protest song aimed at President Vladimir Putin at a Moscow church during a service earlier this year (12).

They were each sentenced to serve two years in prison for the crime, but the ruling has sparked protests against the band's imprisonment in Russia, while celebrities such as pop superstar Madonna, who branded the punishment "inhumane", have been urging Russian authorities to release the three musicians.

Now rocker Carney has gone one step further and declared a boycott of Russia as a result of the conviction.

Taking to his Twitter.com blog, the drummer writes, "Fyi (for your information). We will never being (sic) playing a show in Russia as long as they imprison innocent musicians for speaking their minds peacefully."