Former Interior Minister and opposition leader Yury Lutsenko.could be transferred any day now to the Mensk Colony in the Chernihiv region which holds former police officers, including a fair number there because of the former Minister’s efforts against torture and ill-treatment by the police

The US states that the politically motivated prosecution of opposition leaders, including Mr. Lutsenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, raises serious concerns about the Government of Ukraine’s commitment to democracy and rule of law

Despite the persistent absence of an aggrieved party and confirmation by all witnesses that they considered the surveillance in dispute to be lawful, despite all calls from the democratic community, presiding judge Hanna Medushevskva has convicted former Interior Minister and opposition leader Yury Lutsenko

The Delegation reiterates its concern on rule of law and the central importance which the European Union attaches to reforming the justice system in Ukraine, and the European Union’s commitment to monitor closely a number of other ongoing judicial processes

"We noted the decision of the Central Election Commission not to allow Mr Lutsenko and Ms Tymoshenko to run in the parliament election this autumn. We are of course following this closely and these developments are not helping to improve the climate in the relations between the EU and Ukraine."

According to lawyer Valentina Telychenko, a video-link without the consent of former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko would be grounds for an application to the European Court of Human Rights.

“My victory in Strasbourg will be not only legal, but also political: in Ukraine the days of the dictator are short. The trials of those who carried out and ordered the political prosecutions will take place in a different fashion than my trial and that of Tymoshenko” (Yury Lutsenko)

The preliminary hearing has taken place in the appeal lodged by former Acting Minister of Defence in Yulia Tymoshenko’s government, Valery Ivashchenko

On 8 August the Central Election Commission registered the United Opposition’s candidate list but without the leader of the Batkivshchyna Party Yulia Tymoshenko and the former Interior Minister Yury Lutsenko

The court examination of the prosecution of former Interior Minister Yury Lutsenko and two former employees of the Criminal Investigation Department has uncovered many nuances of legislation and practice regarding investigative operations

Ukraine’s leaders have proved oblivious to the damage they have done Ukraine’s reputation, its chances of European integration, as well as fundamental principles of democracy and rule of law

Valentin Davydenko, the person whom the Prosecutor General’s Office investigators call the aggrieved party in the case has again not appeared in court, and although the judge postponed the case, there is no sign that he will be forced to attend

The judge decided to postpone any decision on whether Ms Tymoshenko could take part through video conference link until it was ascertained that such a link is possible

Arkady Bushchenko, UHHRU Executive Director who has himself represented many people at the European Court of Human Rights says that the Court could decide if it deems fit to appoint a mission to Ukraine or to question Yulia Tymoshenko and other people involved in Strasbourg.

The Judge rejected both Yury Lutsenko’s objections that he was not being allowed to question the alleged victim of his alleged offence and the call to abandon a case in which there is no victim of the crime

Following the public statement by the State Penitentiary Service’s Press Office that it had given permission for José Manuel Pinto Teixeira to visit former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and that Mr Teixeira did not arrive, the EU Office has set the record straight

During Monday’s court hearing the presiding judge read out the conclusions of a medical examination carried out at the court’s request. This stated that Ms Tymoshenko’s illness was chronic, not serious nor life-threatening, and her condition “stably satisfactory”.

The European Court of Human Rights is to hold a public hearing into the application lodged by former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko regarding her detention.

The milder indictment – which also avoids the articles of the Criminal Code that have been roundly condemned by the international community – would obviously carry a milder sentence, with Lutsenko now accused of "negligence" not "abuse of office"

The Italian Prosecutor General has decided that there are no grounds for allowing the request to extradite Avakov, former Kharkiv Regional Governor, ally of imprisoned opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko and likely successful candidate in this year’s parliamentary elections