Conflicting reports about YuliaTymoshenko’s hunger strike

On Thursday afternoon, Ms Tymoshenko’s doctor from the Charité Clinic, Lutz Harms announced that they had persuaded the former Prime Minister and opposition leader to end her hunger strike on Friday.  His colleague, Annette Reisshauer told reporters that Ms Tymoshenko is very weak. 

As has frequently been the case, there were widely conflicting statements from the authorities with the claim that Ms Tymoshenko had already received food being denied by her lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko.

Yulia Tymoshenko began her hunger strike on 29 October.  She stated that it was in protest over election fraud.

There has been consistent criticism from all democratic countries and European structures over the conviction and imprisonment of both Yulia Tymoshenko and Yury Lutsenko, and over the fact that in this way two important opposition leaders were prevented from taking part in the elections.