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Tymoshenko takes case to European Court
Journal Staff Report

KIEV, June 22 – Ukraine’s former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, now an opposition leader, announced Wednesday she asked the European Court of Human Rights to rule on whether domestic criminal investigations against her are politically motivated.

"We have submitted a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights in which we have given evidence of political persecution," Tymoshenko said at a news conference two days before the start of her high-profile trial.

The development comes amid rising concerns in Europe and the US that Kiev, which hopes to sign free trade and associate membership agreements with the EU this year, is moving away from democracy under the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych.

Barred by prosecutors from traveling abroad since December, Tymoshenko stands accused in three separate probes that include alleged misspending of funds and exceeding her authority as the prime minister.

"Everything that happens around me is an attempt by Viktor Yanukovych to destroy me as his rival, to carry out a reprisal against me," Tymoshenko said.

Numerous other officials from her previous government have been targeted by similar investigations.

A court is scheduled on Friday to start hearings on a case related to a 10-year natural gas agreement negotiated and signed with Russia in January 2009.

The Prosecutor General’s Office is also wrapping up two other cases involving Kyoto Protocol funds and ambulance purchases.

Yanukovych said earlier this week that the cases are targeting corruption.

But US, EU and pro-democracy watchdogs have voiced concerns this year that the investigations against Tymoshenko and a dozen of her allies currently in jail are politically motivated.

Pointing to the Tymoshenko case, alleged media censorship and a flawed regional election held last autumn, US-based Freedom House published a report last week in Kiev warning that Ukraine is sliding towards authoritarianism one year into Yanukovych’s presidency.

If Ukraine becomes “a more established, democratic, market-oriented member of the Euro-Atlantic community, it will have a positive effect on the wider region and become a success story for its neighbors to emulate,” the Financial Times cited the report.

“If it moves in a more authoritarian direction, Ukraine will not only set back its own future, but also damage hope for reform in Eurasia as a whole,” the report warns. (tl/ft/ez)




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