Miriam Elder of the Guardian writes that Masha has begun a hunger strike to protest at a court decision to refuse her permission to attend her own parole hearing.

Update 1 june: Masha has ended her 11-day hunger strike after prison authorities met her demands.

Maria Alyokhina, 24, also forbade her lawyers from further representing her during the parole hearing, becoming the most high-profile prisoner to reject taking part in a justice system widely criticised as absurd. Continue reading →