MOSCOW, May 11 - RAPSI. The Moscow City Court has affirmed the arrest extension until June 24 of alleged Pussy Riot punk gang member Maria Alyokhina, who has been charged with public disorder in the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI).

The court ruled against Alyokhina's request to be released. Alyokhina participated in the hearing via video conference from a pretrial detention center, although she earlier asked to be brought to the court.  The suspected Pussy Riot members are now under detention. Investigators charged the women with hooliganism. They may receive up to seven years in prison.

The court ruled to keep Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich in detention until June 24.

On February 21, five masked members of the Pussy Riot punk-group performed a protest song called "Holy Sh*t" at the cathedral's altar.

The song included lyrics such as "Holy Mother, Blessed Virgin, chase Putin out!" Pussy Riot said the performance was a response to Orthodox Church head Patriarch Kirill's backing of President-elect Vladimir Putin in the March 4 election landslide. The patriarch called Putin's 12 years in power a "miracle of God" in a televised meeting. The video of their performance was posted on the Internet and incited a major public uproar.