Tymoshenko trial again deferred

On Tuesday the Kyivsky District Court in Kharkiv deferred until 23 July the next hearing into the new trial of former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. The presiding judge Kostyantin Sadovsky stated that it was impossible to hold the hearing without Yulia Tymoshenko, who is undergoing treatment, and her defence counsel – Andriy Kozhemyakhnin and Yevhenia Tymoshenko. Ms Tymoshenko was not brought to the courtroom on health grounds.

The new hearing is scheduled for 10.00 on 23 July.

Yulia Tymoshenko is already serving a 7-year sentence over the “2009 gas accords” with Russia. That trial and the sentence have been widely condemned as politically motivated. The new prosecution involves the activities of the United Energy Systems of Ukraine Corporation. Ms Tymoshenko is accused of organizing concealment of foreign currency profit of over 155 million USD; illegal compensation with public funding and tax evasion amounting to over 47 million UAH through financial machinations. The criminal investigation was initiated some years back then terminated in early 2005. Yulia Tymoshenko’s defence are adamant that it was terminated lawfully.

This more overtly “criminal case” has been met with scepticism by the international community.

So too have been the constant delays over the case, although it is difficult to see how the trial could continue in Ms Tymoshenko’s absence.

New information and photo from UNIAN