You're reading: US urges Ukraine to free ex-premier Tymoshenko

The United States has called on the Ukrainian government to stop prosecution of the country's former prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, and other former government officials and free them from detention, according to a statement by U.S. Ambassador at OSCE Ian Kelly.

In this statement, Kelly expressed deep concern about the reported conditions of Tymoshenko’s incarceration and her access to medical treatment.
"We have received reports that Mrs. Tymoshenko is on a hunger strike and have seen the report of the Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman of possible mistreatment by prison authorities," the statement reads.

The ambassador also pointed to the criminal cases against former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko, former Environment Minister Heorhiy Filipchuk and former Acting Defense Minister Valeriy Ivaschenko, as well as other senior officials from the previous government.

"We continue to urge the Government of Ukraine to cease selective prosecutions, to free Mrs. Tymoshenko and the other senior officials of the previous government currently in detention, and to restore their full political and civil rights. This is especially critical as we look ahead to Ukraine’s chairmanship of the OSCE in 2013," the statement reads.