Unfortunately, it seems that the authorities are trying to shut down places where intellectuals come to share their thoughts with each other. I think the initiative belonged to local authorities. But whoever is behind this, it's hard to deny that with each year, there are less and less independent places left in Moscow.

It started about a month ago when the police came to the shop and confiscated some books. After that, we had a surge of weird visitors, enquiring about forbidden books from the publishing house Ultra.Kultura, that closed down about a year ago. Then we got a warning from the prosecutor's office demanding that we stop selling books banned by the Federal Security Service. Finally, last Friday, the local police station asked that I go over to talk to them.

I was forced to write an explanatory note and told that I'm facing a criminal case because all the criteria are met. Evidence [confirming that the books were pornographic] from the Institute of Culturology was cited, but they refused to show it to me. It looks like they are still negotiating things between themselves.

There are many other bookshops still selling these books. Moreover, Lydia Lunch's book had been republished by a major Russian publishing house. I really can't think of any reasonable explanation. We're not a political organisation; we're just a place in downtown Moscow where people come for books and cultural events. We're quite well known, and we have a large selection of books on humanities. Why us? Maybe it's because there are so few intellectual bookshops still open in Moscow. There are only three or four left now."

The literary community of Russia protests against the criminal case against Boris Kupriyanov, the director of Falanster. Falanster is one of the best bookshops in Moscow, selling contemporary science and philosophy books, as well as intellectual fiction. Books that the shop is distributing reflect modern culture in our country and abroad and are in no way pornographic. They demonstrate high levels of artistic achievement. By signing this petition, we claim our readiness to counter the decision taken by the Institute of Culturology regarding some of the books sold in Falanster that have fallen under suspicion from the authorities. We offer our services as independent auditors."

For some reason, the petitioners are trying to convince the authorities that all books condemned as pornographic are highly artistic, and if they are artistic, there's no reason to arrest someone.

I think they're taking a wrong stance: why should it make a difference if the books are pornographic? What's wrong with porn? Those who don't like it are free to choose a book from the next shelf."

We'll wait and see, but I hold no pity for Falanster. The entire story is a typical right-wing liberal whine-fest: they are fighting for their ‘right' to sell porn and Nazi propaganda. If Falanster manages to get out of its troubles with authorities, good for them, and if it doesn't - well, it's nobody's business but theirs."