Russian Investigation into Director of Moscow Library of Ukrainian Literature Continuing

A Russian Federation Investigative Committee has completed its preliminary investigation in the criminal case against the director of the Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow Natalia Sharina, her lawyer Ivan Pavlov reports.

Sharina was detained following searches in the Library conducted by law enforcement agencies on October 28, 2015. She has been under house arrest since October 30, 2015. The case against her was filed under Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation: "Incitement of Hatred or Enmity, as Well as Abasement of Human Dignity".

According to the Investigative Committee of Russia, the reason for legal action was that Sharina distributed Dmytro Korchynsky’s book among the library’s readers. The court ruled the book was extremist material and was prohibited.

In addition, Sharina is also facing accusations of embezzlement — in 2011–2013 she spent the funds allocated for the lawyers of the library to pay for attorney services during the hearing of her first criminal case in court, when she was accused of extremism. The case was later closed.

Source: Ukrayinska Pravda