Russian Court Denies Parole For Pussy Riot Member

Maria Alyokhina, one of two jailed members of the punk activist group Pussy Riot, appears on a monitor during her parole hearing in a Perm court on July 24.

A court in Perm, Russia has rejected Pussy Riot member Maria Alyokhina’s request for parole.

Alyokhina appealed for her release via video link on July 24.

Reports did not mention the court’s reason for rejecting the request.

Alyokhina is one of three members of the feminist punk performance group who were jailed in February 2012 after the group disrupted a Moscow church service and filmed themselves singing a "punk prayer" against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Alyokhin also appealed unsuccessfully for parole in May, and launched a hunger strike over the fact that she wasn't allowed to appear in person for that process.

One of the three convicted Pussy Riot members, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was released and put on probation.

The other convicted member, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, is still in prison.

The two-year prison terms for Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova were condemned by Western governments and human rights groups as disproportionate.

Based on reporting by Rapsi.ru, Interfax, and AFP