Tymoshenko’s Lawyer banned from her entire trial

Judge Rodion Kireyev has removed Serhiy Vlasenko from his role defending Yulia Tymoshenko for the entire gas charges trial against the former Prime Minister, presidential candidate who lost narrowly to Yanukovych and present leader of the main opposition party.

He announced the decision after returning from the consultation chamber.

Kireyev also decided to issue a separate approach to the regulatory committee of the Verkhovna Rada since he considers that Vlasenko is violating the law on the status of a National Deputy.

After reading this out, he asked Vlasenko to take a place in the courtroom and leave the area for the defence.

Vlasenko complied however stressed the need to include other defence lawyers to the case and provide her three days to look for a person to replace him.

Vlasenko was soon afterwards ejected from the court altogether with the Judge stating that his appeals, comments etc were disrupting the trial.

Kyiv Post reports that Vlasenko had previously lodged a complaint with the court over Judge Kireyev’s refusal to consider admitting new lawyers – Mykola Siyi and Oleksandr Plakhotnyuk – to the case.

 "The judge began the hearing by essentially removing defenders from the courtroom. I made a statement regarding the judge’s actions, which he ignored, I made a second statement after which Judge Kireyev said that I am abusing my rights and raised the issue of removing me from the courtroom, " Vlasenko said during the break in today’s hearing.  He believes the judge is deliberately denying Yulia Tymoshenko defence”.

"He doesn’t need lawyers or Tymoshenko, he needs one prosecutor and to read a verdict that has already been written. This isn’t a trial or even a farce. This is the funeral of justice in Ukraine”.

At present, Yulia Tymoshenko’s trial is again continuing without defence lawyers.  And without journalists who have not been admitted.