Member of Russian feminist punk collective Pussy Riot Maria Alyokhina was denied parole today despite receiving support from Sir Paul McCartney.

Alyokhina announced yesterday that she was going on hunger strike in protest of the court’s refusal to allow her to attend her own parole hearing. The former Beatle posted excerpts from letters he’d written to Russian officials on his website in hopes they would reconsider this decision and allow the early release of Alyokhina and bandmate Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who was denied parole last month. Both women are serving time for hooliganism. 

In the letter, McCartney stated: "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."

McCartney has previously written letters to Russian authorities during the trial of this case, watch a report about his and other pop stars’ support of the group below: