Worldwide Protests As Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot Get 2 Years Jail Term Each

Three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot have been convicted of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, over a protest in a cathedral.

Judge Marina Syrova said the women had "crudely undermined social order" during their action in February.

The women say their "punk prayer" was a political act in protest against the Russian Orthodox Church leader's support of President Vladimir Putin.

Prosecutors are seeking a three-year jail sentence.

The verdict is still being read out.

Judge Syrova said Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, had offended the feelings of Orthodox believers and shown a "complete lack of respect".

"Tolokonnikova, Alyokhina and Samutsevich committed hooliganism - in other words, a grave violation of public order," she said.

The judge quoted prosecution witnesses as saying the act had been one of blasphemy, not politics.

Worldwide protests

Along with other members of their band, the women staged a flashmob-style performance of their song close to the altar in the cathedral on 21 February.

Their brief, obscenity-laced performance, which implored the Virgin Mary to "throw Putin out", enraged the Orthodox Church - its leader Patriarch Kirill said it amounted to blasphemy.

Mr Putin was elected for a second term as president two weeks later.

Alyokhina, Tolokonnikova and Samutsevich, watching Friday's proceedings from inside a glass-walled cage in the courtroom, smiled as the widely predicted verdict was delivered.

The BBC's Daniel Sandford, in Moscow, says the defendants are all handcuffed in the dock, whereas on other days the handcuffs had been removed.

On Thursday, Tolokonnikova had said she was "not bitter about being in jail". But, speaking through her lawyer on Twitter, she said: "Politically, I am furious."

"Our imprisonment serves as a clear and unambiguous sign that freedom is being taken away from the entire country," she said.

The women have been detained for the past five months.

Their defence lawyer said before the hearing that they were hoping for an acquittal, "but they are ready to continue to fight".

Large crowds of supporters have gathered outside the court in Moscow, including prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Associated Press news agency said a number of protesters had been arrested, including ex-world chess champion Garry Kasparov and opposition politician Sergei Udaltsov.

There were also pro-Pussy Riot protests in Paris, where demonstrators in Igor Stravinsky square chanted "Freedom", and in Kiev, where women protesters sawed down a wooden cross in a central square.

Other shows of support took place in Belgrade, Berlin, Sofia, London, Dublin and Barcelona.

The band have also had vocal support from artists including Paul McCartney and Madonna, and from politicians.

Critics of the band have also been demonstrating, saying the stunt was an insult to the Russian Orthodox Church.

One, Igor Kim, told the BBC News website from Moscow: "Shouting and screaming and spreading hate in Church is unacceptable and is contrary with Christian ethics."

One protester outside court in Moscow simply shouted: "Let Pussy Riot and all their supporters burn in hell."