McCartney Supports Pussy Riot

Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney has written letters to Russian authorities in support of two members of Russian punk group Pussy Riot, who were jailed last August on offical charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, his website says. The famous musician has asked the Russian officials to consider release on parole for Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who are serving two-year sentences for performing a "punk-prayer" against President Vladimir Putin in the Christ the Savior Cathedral in central Moscow in February 2012. “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,” McCartney wrote in a letter regarding Alyokhina. "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,” he wrote in a letter regarding Tolokonnikova.  The letter is addressed to "Dear Lidia Mikhailovna" apparenly meaning Lidia Yakovleva, the judge who recently denied parole for Tolokonnikova.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20130523/181300692/Paul-McCartney-Shows-Support-to-Jailed-Pussy-Riot-Members.html
http://www.echo.msk.ru/blog/echomsk/1079876-echo/ (document)