A Russian artist who was jailed for protesting against Vladimir Putin’s regime has been denied entry to the Netherlands because the Dutch government fears he will claim asylum.

Pavel Krisevich had been due to speak at De Balie arts venue in Amsterdam on Thursday to promote an exhibition focusing on his work and speak out for political prisoners in Russia.

But the venue had to cancel the event after the foreign affairs ministry refused his application for a visa.

In an email to the venue, seen by Dutch press agency ANP, the ministry said there were “insufficient guarantees” he would return to Montenegro, where he is currently living after fleeing Russia last year.

Krisevich spent three and a half years in prison following a series of artistic protests, including a mock crucifixion outside the offices of the Russian secret service KGB and a simulated suicide in Red Square to highlight restrictions on free speech.

He was arrested several times after being released from prison last year and eventually fled the country to avoid being sent back to the penal colonies.

Artistic freedom

In February a virtual image of Krisevich challenging Putin to a duel was projected into Red Square to mark the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.

De Balie said the exhibition would go ahead and criticised the government’s decision to bar the artist from the country.

“He does extremely dangerous work that results in incredibly powerful, provocative art that touches people in ways that they rarely feel,” artistic director Yoeri Albrecht told AD.nl.

He said Krisevich only intended to visit the Netherlands temporarily to give a talk before going back to Montenegro, where he is awaiting a decision on an asylum application in France.

“It makes no sense to refuse him,” Albrecht said. “Moreover, it is a restriction on our artistic freedom. The freedom of the arts is under pressure.”