Pussy Riot held in prison after mocking Vladimir Putin in cathedral 'punk prayer' The three women were arrested last month and leaders of Russia's liberal opposition have called for their release, saying their detention and prosecution on a serious hooliganism charge is excessive. Miss Tolokonnikova and Miss Alekhina both have a young child. At the hearing on Thursday a team of special-forces officers carrying automatic weapons was deployed in a tiny, stuffy courtroom, where a scrum of journalists had gathered. The handcuffed defendants were led one by one to the metal defendants" cage. Speaking from behind the bars, Miss Tolokonnikova, said she had no regrets about the punk prayer and thanked supporters for sending her food parcels. She asked the judge to release her on bail so that she could seek treatment for migraines and care for her four-year-old daughter, Gera. The request was refused on grounds that she might flee. Miss Tolokonnikova's husband, Petr Verzilov, 24, an artist, told the Daily Telegraph: "This prosecution was clearly ordered by Vladimir Putin because he felt personally insulted. I believe no punishment at all was necessary. Also attending the hearing was Dmitry Bykov, one of Russia's most celebrated contemporary writers. He commented: "The leaders of western countries should stand up and condemn this. In the Brezhnev era dissidents always knew they had support abroad. Now you are sitting by as three young women are effectively tortured. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has condemned Pussy Riot, saying "the devil laughed at us" when they performed in the cathedral. Most of the protesters arrested outside the court were reportedly released by evening.