Library of Ukrainian literature in Moscow: the history of the scandal

The media reported on possible rapid perturbations in the sphere of the capital's libraries. The abolition of the Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow is expected after the arrest of its director, Natalia Sharina. A woman accused of extremism is being held under house arrest.

Reforming

The future of the closure of the Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow became known to journalists according to the lawyer Ivan Pavlov, who defends the interests of the director of the institution. It is planned to transfer the library's premises from the jurisdiction of the Moscow Department of Culture to the Department of the Nat. Politics, tourism and interregional relations. It is known that this department sent an appeal to the Department of Culture, containing a request for a decision on the fate of book funds and employment of employees of the reformed library.

According to the information received, the creation of the Multimedia Center of the Eastern Slavic peoples is planned at the Library of Ukrainian Literature in Moscow. Head of the Department of National Policy Vladimir Chernikov was confirmed that it really is about reforming the library, but not about its elimination. As an official told journalists, one of the proposals actively discussed in the mayoralty of the capital is the creation of a multimedia center on the basis of the abolished library.

Scandal

The library of Ukrainian literature in Moscow (address: 61, Trifonovskaya St., building 1) was in the epicenter of the scandal in October 2015. After the searches in the library, her director Natalya Sharina was detained, charged with inciting enmity and hatred, as well as humiliation of human dignity committed with the use of her official position.

The investigation version contained the statement that in the period from 2011 to 2015, Sharina among the readers of the library distributed works of Ukrainian public figure of extremist Dmitry Korchinsky, banned for use in Russia. Under the court's decision, the director was placed under house arrest.

It is well known that Vitaly Krikunenko, head of department of Ukrainian studies, media and cultural programs, announced that forbidden literature was planted: in particular, books did not contain a library press.

History

The library of Ukrainian literature in Moscow was founded in December 1989 on the basis of the Central Ukrainian Library, which existed in the capital from 1918 to 1938. In 1949 part of the fund was transferred to the library of Lviv University. In 1994, about 1200 books were returned. In 2000, the Government of Moscow adopted a resolution on the establishment of an independent state institution Library of Ukrainian literature in the capital. In May 2006, the premises were solemnly transferred to the reconstructed building in the area of Maryina Roshcha, near the metro station "Rizhskaya" (the current address of the institution). In 2016, the Government of Moscow decided to close the library and transfer its funds to the Center of Slavic Cultures (B-ka Foreign Literature Institute named after Rudomino).

Nuances

The criminal case in late October 2015 was instituted on the application of Dmitry Zakharov, one of the metropolitan deputies. The initiator of the investigative actions, according to Shorin library director, is her former subordinate S. Sokurov (writer). Home arrest for a woman lasted for one year and 7 months. In the summer of 2017 Meshchansky district court, she was sentenced to 4 years' imprisonment conditionally. The stipulated probation period is 4 years.

Petition

Members of the Russian PEN Center drafted a petition demanding to stop the pogrom of the Ukrainian library. The document states that the persecution of its employees is nothing more than political repression, which should be stopped immediately. The petition was signed, in particular, by K. Azadovsky, S. Aleksievich, A. Gelman, B. Grebenshchikov, S. Parkhomenko, L. Rubinshtein, V. Shenderovich and many other Russian writers and journalists.