Tymoshenko trial deferred until 15 October

The Kyivsky District Court in Kharkiv has once again postponed the hearing into the trial of former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, this time until 15 October, less than 2 weeks before the parliamentary elections.  The reason was the same as last time – the judge refused to conduct the hearing in the absence of Ms Tymoshenko herself, who is undergoing medical treatment, as well as her defence council – her daughter Yevhenia.

Yulia Tymoshenko is already serving a sentence over the 2009 “gas accords” with Russia which has been denounced as politically motivated by all democratic countries and bodies. In the new prosecution she 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 lawyers are adamant that it was terminated lawfully.

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