MOSCOW, February 28 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) – The Dzerzhinsky District Court in St. Petersburg has upheld a ruling to release Russian eccentric performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky from punishment in the vandalism case over burning tyres, RAPSI learnt from the court’s press service.

The sentence has become effective.

In May 2016, Pavlensky was found guilty of vandalism for setting tyres on fire on Maly Konyushenny Bridge in St Petersburg and sentenced him to 1 year and 4 months of restriction of freedom. However, the artist was released from punishment because of expiry of the period of limitation for bringing to criminal responsibility.

Pavlensky is known for a number of controversial performances.

In July 2012, he sewed up his mouth and stood at the Kazan Cathedral with a poster in support of Pussy Riot.

In May 2013, Pavlensky lay down on the ground in front of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly naked with barbed wire around his body.

In November 2013, also naked, Pavlensky nailed his scrotum to the Red Square pavement near the Lenin Mausoleum.

In October 2014, he staged an eccentric stunt on the roof of the Serbsky Mental Institution in Moscow by cutting off one of his earlobes.

In February 2015, Pavlensky and his accomplices burned car tyres, waved Ukrainian flags and banged sheet metal with sticks in a show of solidarity with the anti-government protesters in Ukraine. The performance was held near the Church of the Savior on Blood in St. Petersburg.

In June 2016, Pavlensky was found guilty of setting fire to the Moscow headquarters of the Federal Security Service (FSB).  The Meshchansky District Court of Moscow imposed a 500,000 ruble ($7,900) fine on Pavlensky and ruled in favor of FSB, which demanded 481,000 rubles ($7,700) from the artist in a civil lawsuit.