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Ukraine heaps more charges on Tymoshenko (updated)

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Nov. 11, 2011, 11:16 a.m. | Politics — by Reuters

Yulia Tymoshenko has been charged with tax evasion, theft and concealing foreign currency revenues.
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Ukraine's former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, sentenced to seven years in prison for abuse of office, has been charged with tax evasion, theft and concealing foreign currency revenues, the State Tax Administration said on Friday. The new charges indicate that she is less likely to go free in the near future despite calls from the West for her release, keeping Ukraine's ties with the European Union strained.

The charges are linked to her activities as head of gas trading firm United Energy Systems of Ukraine, a post she held in the 1990s, an administration statement said.

Her lawyer Serhiy Vlasenko dismissed them as "baseless".

Tymoshenko was found guilty on Oct. 11 of abusing her powers as prime minister in 2009 when she forced through a gas supply deal between Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz and Russia's Gazprom.

Tymoshenko has denied all charges against her and said her trial reflected a political vendetta waged by President Viktor Yanukovich, who narrowly beat her in the former Soviet republic's 2010 presidential election.

Echoing her position, the European Union has warned Ukraine it may not sign bilateral deals on political association and free trade if Tymoshenko remains in jail.

There is a possibility her conviction will be overturned by an appeals court or reclassified as a non-felony by parliament.

However, state prosecutors have said they could launch more cases against Tymoshenko and were studying her possible involvement in a 1996 contract killing of a parliament deputy -- which her supporters have denied.

Supporters of Tymoshenko, 50, say her health is deteriorating as she has been in a detention centre since early August and now has trouble walking.

A member of a state-appointed medical team tasked with assessing Tymoshenko's health said on Friday she had been told to stay in bed but a diagnosis of her illness had not yet been established, according to Interfax news agency.

Tymoshenko was a leader of the 2004 Orange Revolution which doomed Yanukovich's first bid for the presidency. She served twice as prime minister before losing the 2010 election to Yanukovich in a bitterly fought runoff.

Her supporters say he is seeking to extinguish her as a political force before a parliamentary election next October.
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The Kyiv Post is hosting comments to foster lively debate. Criticism is fine, but stick to the issues. Comments that include profanity or personal attacks will be removed from the site. If you think that a posted comment violates these standards, please flag it and alert us. We will take steps to block violators.
Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 11:32 a.m.    

The EU protecting fellow bandits... They are all in the same boat.

OWS for starters!

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, noon    

Dear oh dear is the EU getting a bad name? Well that's what comes of eating your poor Greek 'friends' in public.

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 5:03 p.m.    

All Nashi are wankers!!

have no jobs.. all they do is suck putins dick for money!

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 5:58 p.m.    

Please refrain from such childish toilet humour it does not serve your cause or give due credit to Kyivpost who should be congratulated to allowing open public debate, Even when it is degraded by such offensive and childish comments. Trust me, it reflects more poorly the writer not the publisher. If you want people to consider your point of view seriously then think twice before you hit the keyboard letting all that read it know that your an idiot whoo can not articulate a reasonable and intelligent discussion.

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 6:36 p.m.    

The &quot;Nashi&quot; really do suck.

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 2:21 p.m.    

Es pol&amp;#237;ticamente incorrecto aislar a Ucrania por un caso judicial. Ianucovich debe encontrar una salida institucional al asunto.-

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 2:31 p.m.    

Yanukovych must be really scared to spend so much resources on digging upp old dirt on Tymoshenko. Too bad for him, he has zero credibility after this summer's bizarre show trial. Everyone can see that he is sacrificing national interests to pursue a petty personal vendetta, based only on a pathological fear and paranoia.

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 3:34 p.m.    

Sorry, ignore my comment below. I am full of crap!

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 5:32 p.m.    

&quot;But the hands of one of the gentleman were laid on K.'s throat,

while the other pushed the knife deep into his heart and twisted it

there, twice. As his eyesight failed, K. saw the two gentlemen cheek by

cheek, close in front of his face, watching the result. &quot;Like a dog!&quot; he

said, it was as if the shame of it should outlive him.&quot;

The Trial -- Franz Kafka.

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 5:34 p.m.    

This is a serious matter.

Tymoshenko had already been tried &amp; cleared for these new allegations.

This is all the more reason that Yanukovych and his thugs must be dealt with.

The West must not ignore Ukraine as it had done with Belarus.

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 5:51 p.m.    

This is without doubt selective political persecution. If they government was concerned about such offenses then half the parliament, senior administrates and members of the office of the president, past and present) would also be facing prosecution

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Anonymous Nov. 12, 2011, 5:17 a.m.    

I agree, all these charges would have us believe she committed every criminal act that was ever committed in Ukraine for the 20 years.

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 7:05 p.m.    

Unbelievable! The more charges they pile up against Tymoshenko,the more they prove to the world that their motives are political. This type of criminal behaviour is certainly unheard of in the civilized world. Yanukonvict must die before we can restore any credibility and respect to our country.

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Anonymous Nov. 12, 2011, 4:10 p.m.    

The above comment insightes violence and should be removed

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Anonymous Nov. 12, 2011, 8:41 p.m.    

Crap! You want this comment removed because you dont want the truth to be known. Whats violent about the above comment. Yanukonvict could read it and have a heart attack and die. That's not violence? That bad health! and it will be too bad for him.

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Anonymous Nov. 13, 2011, 7:25 p.m.    

.

......REVOLUTION.....!!!

Why? Because Yanukalin has shown his disregard for the &quot;Constitution&quot; and has not done anything to better the life of Ukraine's citizens.

His past actions show he has no intention of changing.....

Thus he is forcing a ...REVOLUTION......by his conduct.

The sooner the better.......

.

.

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 7:19 p.m.    

History shows that Stalin did his horrific deeds while the world was busy fighting unemployment and Yanukonvict has chosen a time when the world is fighting money problems and unemployment. Coinsidence?

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Anonymous Nov. 11, 2011, 9:09 p.m.    

What next... she will be charged by this dysfunctional government with running over blind chickens crossing the street? When does the madness stop? When does this government start to care more about regular hard working class (and very poor) Ukrainians than destroying Yulia? It is too plain and obvious that this is a continuing polical corrupt witch hunt and nothing else. Why is it allowed to continue? When does a sane responsible leader in power stand up and say it must and will stop now? Ukraine deserves better!!!

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Anonymous Nov. 12, 2011, 12:13 a.m.    

Dear me someone is using my name to critique my comments. So my opponents who worship the EU have given up entirely the field of argument and reason. Your pro Western delusions will outlive the Euro and the EU. Lets see what comfort they bring you in the emerging new world order.

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Anonymous Nov. 12, 2011, 3:45 p.m.    

Sorry, ignore my comment below. I am again full of crap!

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Anonymous Nov. 12, 2011, 6:20 p.m.    

Is the president not smart enough to realize he is turning Yulia into a martyr? Very foolish.

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Anonymous Nov. 13, 2011, 12:56 a.m.    

the banda of regione are digging their own grave - Do carry on .

yanuconvict had better have a rusian passport

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Anonymous Nov. 14, 2011, 11:22 a.m.    

Supporters of Ukraine's Tymoshenko mark her 100 days in jail

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Supporters+Ukraine+Tymoshenko+mark+days+jail/5703150/story.html#ixzz1dfaDrrTj

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