The former director of the PERMM museum is wanted for insulting religious feelings.
Reason for arrest in absentia and placing on the international wanted list was The fact that last year, photographs of paintings on biblical themes were published on the website of the PERMM Museum of Contemporary Art: "Angel with a Trumpet" Sergei Gorshkov, "Blue Cities" Tanya Anoshina and the engraving "Paradisi" Konstantin Zvezdochetov.
After a denunciation was filed with the police against the former director of the museum Nail Allahverdiyev excited criminal case. She was accused of "allowing the free display" of works offensive to believers.
PERMM is one of the most prominent contemporary art museums in Russia. Opened in 2008, it has since hosted over 200 exhibition projects, including international ones. Its collection comprises over 1500 pieces valued at approximately 80 million rubles.
Nailya Allahverdiyeva headed the museum for about ten years, first as art director, then as director. Last year, she had two passed searches.
Last December, Allahverdiyeva told journalists about pressure from security forces, after which she resigned as director and left the country.
Then the security forces blamed her corruption. According to investigators, the director paid 300 rubles to her husband. To Arseny Sergeev, who curated the exhibition "Yes and No." Museum management claimed they invited him because he had intimate knowledge of the museum's collection, and the exhibition needed to be prepared on a tight schedule.
UPD:
According to local media, the decision to arrest Allahverdiyeva in absentia couldn't resist on appeal: today it was overturned by the regional court.
Meanwhile, the criminal case for insulting religious feelings remains open, as does the international search for Allahverdiyeva.
Photo: Valery Ledenev
