Russian Court to Consider Extending Natalia Sharina's House Arrest
Saturday, January 23, 2016 1:30:00 PM
The Russian investigative committee is asking the court to extend the house arrest of the Director of the Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow, Natalia Sharina, for another three months, her lawyer Ivan Pavlov reported.
"On January 27th, the Presnensky Court of Moscow will consider the extension of the house arrest of Natalia Sharina. The investigative committee asked the court to extend this period for another three months," Pavlov said. According to him, the court will begin hearings next Wednesday.
Sharina was detained on October 28, 2015 after investigators allegedly found extremist literature in her home. The homes of three other members of library staff were also searched. A criminal case on national hatred and enmity was filed against the director of the library, but Sharina claims she is innocent.
The Human Rights Center Memorial named her a political prisoner in November. On December 25th, the Presnensky Court of Moscow extended Sharina’s house arrest to January 28, 2016. On the same day the Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he knew nothing about the detention and house arrest of Natalia Sharina and promised to clarify the matter, noting that the library should be saved.
