today 24.05.2013 16:01
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Human Rights in Ukraine Information website of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group |
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Viktor Yanukovych’s reported statement on Wednesday that it was the prerogative of the courts to determine whether Yulia Tymoshenko was implicated in the murder of Yevhen Shcherban came late given his remarks in a Bloomberg interview 
Ukraine’s new Human Rights Ombudsperson has finally answered a question regarding Tymoshenko by only referring to the current charges against the former Prime Minister, already serving a 7-year sentence, and denying any other political component than that the prosecution is of a politician 
The move is in protest at the "selective justice" meted out to jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko. Other EU nations including Germany, Holland and Austria have also threatened a boycott of the tournament 
Despite categorical protest at the previous hearing over Valentin Davydenko’s absence, he was not at the court hearing on Friday. After altercations in court, at the Judge’s order, neither was Yury Lutsenko 
The well-known historian and publicist, Timothy Garton Ash writes that “every EU leader must make up their own mind, but the aim should be to punish the president and not the people” 
There were rumours from early on Monday that former Interior Minister and opposition leader Yury Lutsenko might be moved to a penal colony in the next few days, This would get him well out of the way of visitors to Kyiv during Euro 2012, but one of the charges against him is still awaiting court examination 
MEPs on 24 May passed a resolution about the situation in Ukraine and called for the unconditional immediate release of all prisoners sentenced on politically motivated grounds, including leaders of the opposition 
Europe expects a concrete strategy to redress the effects of selective justice and prevent it from happening again, second free and fair elections and third the resumption of delayed reforms already agreed in the joint EU-Ukraine “Association Agenda” 
The Prosecution claims the delay is to protect the former Prime Minister and opposition leader’s right to be at the trial. Ms Tymoshenko’s defence assert that the delay is to avoid a definite outcome before the PACE session on Ukraine in June 
While one of the doctors treating Yulia Tymoshenko has stressed that her situation has been exacerbated by the failure to treat her adequately and called for a humane decision, President Yanukovych has come out publicly against treatment abroad 
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