MOSCOW. Dec 14 (Interfax) - Investigators are searching the homes of the witnesses in the criminal case against Library of Ukrainian Literature director Natalya Sharina, who is accused of spreading extremist literature, Ivan Pavlov, lawyer for the defendant, told Interfax on Monday.

"At about 7:20 a.m., investigative activities began in the apartments of two library employees, Anna Pavlenko and Tatiana Muntyan," Pavlov said.

Pavlenko and Muntyan are witnesses in the Sharina case, he added.

The police did not disclose the search objective, he said.

In Pavlov's view, "it might be a sign of despair