Western politicians and artists have continued to voice their support for a Russian punk band that they believe was politically persecuted as the band members stood their last day of trial Wednesday, charged with hooliganism for chanting an anti-Putin "punk prayer" in an Orthodox church.

More than 120 members of Germany's parliament have sent a letter to the Russian ambassador to Germany in support of the three jailed members of the band Pussy Riot, the magazine Der Spiegel reported on Wednesday.

US pop star Madonna showed her support for the punk band Tuesday night at a concert in Moscow. International performers such as Sting, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More and Franz Ferdinand also gave their support, according to media reports.

Lead singer Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and fellow band members Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alyokhina pulled on knitted balaclavas and burst into the Christ the Saviour Cathedral on February 21 to ask the Virgin Mary in a song to oust Russian president Vladimir Putin, AFP reported.

Pussy Riot's stunt took aim at both Putin and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, who backed him in this year's presidential campaign, Reuters reported.

The singers told the court their performance was a political act, and was not aimed at hurting the feelings of believers. But prosecutors are seeking a three-year imprisonment for the women, who will be sentenced next week, BBC reported.

They did anger some believers and hundreds of people took to the streets in defense of the Russian Orthodox Church on Moscow's Suvorov Square on July 22, according to RIA Novosti.

Meanwhile, Russian opposition activists voiced fears that the trial is part of a crackdown following Putin's return to the Kremlin.

US State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell says the US is concerned about the "politically motivated prosecution of the Russian opposition and pressure on those who express dissenting views," AP reported on August 1.

Li Xing, head of the Russian studies center at the School of Political Science and International Studies at Beijing Normal University, told the Global Times that the case is domestic and political but both the opposition and some countries are using the case to put pressure on Putin.

"Putin is clearly the target at the center of the controversy. After entering his third term in the Kremlin, Putin drew opposition from inside Russia and overseas.

The opposing voices are challenging the Putin government with this case, and criticizing his governance," Li said, adding that the case won't have a severe impact on Putin since he still enjoys strong support from the public.