Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina denied parole, Paul McCartney offers support

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Jailed Pussy Riot member and political activist, Maria Alyokhina has been refused parole following a hearing earlier this week.

The decision was made after the hearings held on Wednesday and Thursday, which Alyokhina was not allowed to attend. The protester said she was taking a vow of hunger strike against her inability to attend the meetings.

Following the news, Sir Paul McCartney has voiced his support of the imprisoned in an open letter released on his official website:

“My personal belief is that further incarceration for Maria will be harmful for her and the situation as a whole, which, of course, is being watched by people all over the world.

“In the great tradition of fair-mindedness which the Russian people (many of whom are my friends) are famous for, I believe that you granting this request would send a very positive message to all the people who have followed this case.”

Last year, three members of the punk band were found guilty of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” and were sentenced to two years in jail following the performance in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The song requested that the Virgin Mary drive Russian president Vladimir Putin from power.

Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, have been named prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International. Samutsevich was released in October.

[via CoS]