Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina Denied Parole

Photo: SERGEI KARPUKHIN/Corbis

Remember Pussy Riot? Two out of three of Russia’s America-beloved feminist punks are still imprisoned, separated from their young children and each other, the Independent reports, despite Sir Paul McCartney’s stabs at diplomacy. (One member, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was released on appeal in October.) Today, Maria Alyokhina, 24, was denied parole because she “disobeyed prison authorities and failed to repent for her crime.” Alyokhina declared a hunger strike yesterday after being barred from attending her own parole hearing. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova’s parole was denied last month, as well. In both cases, McCartney asked Russian officials to release the women, appealing to Russia’s “compassion,” “kindness,” and “great tradition of fair-mindedness.” It’s been more than a year since the women were arrested on charges of hooliganism after performing their “Punk Prayer” in a Moscow Orthodox cathedral.

Pussy Riot’s Maria Alyokhina Denied Parole