As reported, the European Court of Human Rights decided on 15 March 2012 to indicate to the Ukrainian Government, under Rule 39 that it ensure that former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko receive adequate medical treatment in an appropriate institution.

A spokesperson for the German Government confirmed on Saturday that the Government is holding talks with Kyiv on treating former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko in a German hospital

Given the lightening speed and coordination of the actions of the government, Prosecutor’s office and courts, another sentence against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko can, it would seem, be expected before her case is examined in the European Court of Human Rights.

Former Acting Defence Minister in Yulia Tymoshenko’s government, Valery Ivashchenko who has been in detention since August 2010 asserts that the court examination of the criminal investigation material has revealed falsification by the Prosecutor General’s Office

This followed the Foreign Minister’s statement that “Ukraine can do whatever it wants and even disregard resolutions or recommendations of the Committee (of the Council of Europe”

The charges against the former Governor and popular opposition politician in Kharkiv are ominously reminiscent of those against Tymoshenko, former Interior Minister Yury Lutsenko and others. Doubts as to the fairness of any trial in Ukraine would seem equally warranted

Serhiy Kostakov, who spent seven and a half months in custody from December 2010 charged with blocking the road and damaging a car during the mass peaceful protest against the new Tax Code in November 2010, is presently in a European country where he has asked for asylum

The refusal to allow a visit to the jailed former Prime Minister and opposition leader s especially ironical given that the co-rapporteurs have come to Ukraine in order to “assess the follow-up given to Assembly Resolution 1862 (2012) on “the functioning of democratic institutions in Ukraine”

Ukrainian doctors have admitted that jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is in need of hospital care as her health deteriorates.

In one of the cases of concern both within Ukraine and abroad, the Prosecutor claims Valery Ivashchenko’s guilt is proven, while the defence speaks of falsified material, a biased attitude from the investigators and the lack of any actual crime

Former Judge from Ukraine at the Court in Strasbourg, Volodymyr Butkevych stresses that the very fact of the application of Rule 39 indicates that the Court does not believe the prison is in a position to provide the necessary medical care

Bob Dechert keeps himself abreast of events in Ukraine, and is in close contact with the Ukrainian community in Canada. It is therefore most unlikely that he would agree that there are no grounds for concern about both the prosecution of the former Prime Minister and her present state of health

According to former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko’s defence lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko, the European Court of Human Rights has applied Rule 39 and ordered the government of Ukraine to treat Ms Tymoshenko in hospital

The Vice-President and another Swedish Member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly were prevented from meeting with former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recalls that it has "invited the Committee to propose any further action as required by the situation, including with regard to the possible consideration of sanctions if the Assembly’s demands are not met”.

The defence maintains that the assessment on which the charges against former Acting Defence Minister in Yulia Tymoshenko’s government, Valery Ivashchenko are based is not objective or professional

In a letter from 5 Foreign Ministers: Carl Bildt, William Hague, Karel Schwarzenberg, R Radoslaw Sikorski and Guido Westerwelle, the authors write of "growing concerns regarding the state of democracy in Ukraine. Independent media and civil society organizations report pressure from the authorities"

The politically-motivated prosecution of opposition leaders, including Mr. Lutsenko and Mrs. Tymoshenko, raises serious concerns about the Government of Ukraine’s commitment to democracy and rule of law

Volodymyr Butkevych believes that in the cases of Tymoshenko and Lutsenko violations will be found. Then there’ll be sanctions, and they will be serious, including against those who took part in the cases

The head of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union Board, Yevhen Zakharov has warned that the life of Yury Lutsenko, former Minister of Internal Affairs would be in danger in any penal colony.