A Moscow court on Tuesday handed an ultranationalist eight days behind bars for throwing unidentified liquid on a U.S. photographer’s exhibition in Moscow last week.
Alexander Petrunko, an activist of the SERB ultranationalist group, was detained last year for throwing a bottle filled with urine when the “No Embarrassment" exhibition first opened in September 2016. Jock Sturges' photography was closed two weeks after opening after Russian conservatives accused it of showcasing child pornography.
Petrunko was charged with petty hooliganism for Friday's crime, a Moscow court spokesperson was cited as saying Tuesday by the Interfax news agency.
SERB made headlines over the weekend for disrupting a film about Ukraine at the ArtDocFest film festival. The group's supporters sprayed a pungent gas into the auditorium and covered the projector, causing the auditorium to be evacuated.
One of the group’s activists told The Moscow Times on Monday that the film “showed hatred for Russia and Russians.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
