Russian prosecutors have called on a judge to release Pyotr Pavlensky, the protest artist arrested in November for a performance in which he burned the door of the FSB (the KGB’s successor agency.) Pavlensky has been detained since the November 9 performance, and faces a potential three years in prison for damaging a cultural site.
Pavlensky, in the early morning November 9, burned the Lyubyanka door to the FSB in a protest art performance called “Threat” (Pyotr Pavlensky).
State prosecutor Anton Sizov has appealed for the performance artist to be found guilty with a fine of 2 million rubles ($31,000 USD) instead of facing possible prison time.
This fine could be reduced to 1.5 million rubles since the artist has two children and no criminal record. The FSB has insisted that Pavlensky pay an extra 481,461 rubles, the cost of the Lyubyanka door he burned in protest.
The Russian art critic and gallery owner Marat Gelman described Pavlensky’s performance as symbolic of Russia’s political and artistic climate. “This is the gate of hell, the entrance into the world of absolute evil,” he described in November (link in Russian.) “And against the backdrop of hellfire is a lonely artist, waiting to be captured.”
In a strange turn of events, Pavlensky was nominated last week for the FSB Prize for Literature and the Arts for the very performance he is on trial for.
It is unclear whether Pavlensky will celebrate the call for leniency. The artist declared his wish to be tried on terrorism charges in solidarity with the imprisoned Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov.
“According to the state’s logic, I should be suspected not of vandalism, but of terrorism, for after all I did what Sentsov is accused of.”
It is uncommon for judges to impose sentences harsher than those recommended by the prosecution. The judge, Yelena Gudoshnikova, will provide her verdict tomorrow and is expected only to fine the artist.
Pyotr Pavlensky’s lawyer Dmitry Dimze has said that it is likely that the artist will end up serving time in prison regardless. The lawyer said that his client is unlikely to pay the fine out of principle. Pavlensky’s partner, Oksana Shalygina, echoed this sentiment.
When the prosecution announced the recommended sentence, Pavlensky showed no emotion. He has persisted in expressing his desire to be tried as a terrorist.
Pavlensky has drawn worldwide attention for his physically extreme performances, and has been institutionalized twice by authorities. Past performances by the artist included sewing his lips shut, cutting his earlobe off, and nailing his scrotum to Red Square.
Update June 9 2016 1:06 GMT: Pyotr Pavlensky has been freed on a fine of 500,000 rubles ($7,600 USD).