Russian artist Pyotr Pavlensky's detention extended after FSB door burning protest

Pyotr Pavlensky, a Russian conceptual artist known for extreme political performances, has had his pretrial detention extended by a Russian court until 7 January 2016. The court rejected his bail petition, originally scheduled for release on 8 December. Pavlensky was arrested for setting fire to the doors of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) headquarters, an act intended as political protest against societal indifference to the agency's pervasive control. He faces vandalism charges carrying a potential three-year prison sentence. His artistic practice includes previous provocative actions such as nailing his scrotum to Red Square and cutting off part of his ear atop a psychiatric clinic. The Moscow Times reported the detention extension on 4 December 2015.