Foreign Office Minister expresses concern at Yuliya Tymoshenko court ruling
Minister for Europe David Lidington has expressed concern at the conviction and sentence of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko on 29 December.
Speaking today the Foreign Office Minister said:
“I am concerned to learn that the Kyiv Court of Appeals on 29 December upheld the conviction and sentence of former Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko. We have repeatedly drawn attention to the conclusion of independent experts, including the Danish Helsinki Committee, that the trial was subject to numerous and serious violations of legal principles. Along with the ongoing cases against other former members of the government, such as former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko who has been held for more than a year without trial, this ruling calls into question Ukraine’s commitment to EU principles of democracy and rule of law.That in turn jeopardises signature and ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.”