Russian performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky released and fined

Moscow’s Meshchansky Court has found art activist Pyotr Pavlensky guilty of damaging an object of cultural heritage, fining him 500,000 rubles (US$7,775) and letting him go free.

In addition, Pavlensky has to pay a civil penalty of 481,461 rubles (US$7,486).

The performance artist was standing trial for setting fire to the entrance of the FSB building on 9 November 2015 in an artistic action entitled Threat. The criminal charges against him were changed from “vandalism” to “damaging a cultural heritage site”.

Pavlensky is known for his violent artistic actions. In 2012 he sewed his mouth shut in protest against the detention of Russian punk group Pussy Riot, while in November 2013 he nailed his scrotum to the ground on Red Square.

Source: Slon.ru (in Russian)