Russian art activist Pyotr Pavlensky officially charged with vandalism

Despite asking for the charges against him to be changed to terrorism earlier last week, Russian performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky has been charged with vandalism.

Pavlensky, who set fire to the entrance of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in Moscow in the early hours of last Monday, was sentenced yesterday by a Moscow court.

“Today, Pavlensky was officially charged with vandalism motivated by ideological hatred”, stated the artist’s lawyer, Olga Chavdar. According to Ms Chavdar, the indictment recorded that Pavlensky was pursuing political and social goals in his attack. “The exact goals pursued by Pavlensky were not reported in the investigation,” added Ms Chavdar.

Source: Afisha (in Russian)