SIR Paul McCartney has written to Russian authorities asking them to consider releasing members of jailed band Pussy Riot on parole.
He sent notes after one woman, Maria Alyokhina, said she would go on hunger strike after she was denied permission to attend a parole hearing. She and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova are serving two-year terms for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" following a protest at a cathedral.
Sir Paul asked officials to grant Ms Alyokhina the right to attend a future hearing. He said: "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."
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