Paul McCartney wrote a letter to Russian authorities, in hopes of helping Pussy Riot band member Maria Alyokhina, who was denied attendance to her own parole hearing on Wednesday.
In his plea to the government, he details his support for Alyokhina and her fellow band member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, both of whom were arrested for hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, after five of the band members performed a protest at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
"My personal belief is that further incarceration for Maria will be harmful for her and the situation as a whole," McCartney wrote, according to Rolling Stone. "Which, of course, is being watched by people all over the world."
McCartney, who posted his letter dated Monday on his website Thursday, wrote, "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."
He sent a separate letter that expanded upon his support for Tolokonnikova, writing, "I have had a long relationship with the Russian people, and, with this in mind, I am making the following request in a spirit of friendship for my many Russian acquaintances, who, like me, believe in treating people-all people-with compassion and kindness."
Paul McCartney is not the first artist to have contacted Russian courts with their support of the Pussy Riot members, who publicly have gone against Vladimir Putin and other political figures in the past. Peter Gabriel and Patti Smith have also voiced their support for the female rockers.
Alyokhina's lawyers brought copies of the support letters that Gabriel and Smith had written to the hearing, but despite the writings backing their client, Alyokhina's parole decision was still administered in court.
Alyokhina's parole hearing continued Thursday.
