You're reading: Canadian parliament condemns Tymoshenko verdict

The Canadian parliament has condemned the guilty verdict against former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and politically motivated justice in Ukraine, reads a statement posted on the Web site of the BYT-Batkivschyna faction on Wednesday.

"Late on Tuesday, the House of Commons of Canada concluded a rare four-hour emergency debate on the decline in democracy in Ukraine, during which all four political parties unanimously condemned the politically motivated selective justice and sentencing in the case of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko," reads the statement.

President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Paul Grod said that the House of Commons had unanimously expressed its concerns regarding the ongoing erosion of democracy in Ukraine, including the most recent politically motivated and deliberate prosecution and conviction by the Ukrainian authorities of Tymoshenko and other opposition leaders.

In addition, the Canadian parliament proposed a strategy for Ukraine, which includes, in particular, support for civil society, Ukrainian NGOs, and the independent media, as well as a review of priorities for Ukrainian-Canadian relations and the monitoring of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

"The October 2012 parliamentary elections in Ukraine will be the only meaningful opportunity to balance power, as today both the parliament and judiciary are controlled by the president… There is serious concern with the upcoming parliamentary elections. How can they be declared free and fair if the leaders of two opposition parties, including the leader of the official opposition, are not able to participate?" reads the document.

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