Russia - 2 Arrested After Band's Protest at Cathedral to Remain Jailed - NYTimes.com A Moscow court ruled on Wednesday that two women accused of participating in a "punk prayer service" against Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin by a rock band made up of masked feminist activists in front of the altar of Christ the Savior Cathedral last month must remain in pretrial detention until April 24. The women, Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, were arrested on March 3, on the eve of Russia's presidential elections, which Mr. Putin won after a wave of protests appeared to threaten his rule. They face up to seven years in prison. A video of the performance circulated on YouTube. Mr. Putin's spokesman has said that he found the performance offensive. Russian Orthodox Church leaders have said that the band's actions were blasphemous and that the women should be prosecuted, although not necessarily imprisoned. Yet some church activists have said that the case is politically motivated and have called for their immediate release. The women's lawyers said there was no proof that they participated in the performance.