Ukraine’s General Prosecutor’s Office has on May 24 temporarily detained Yulia Tymoshenko, the former Prime Minister and opposition leader, alleging that such a measure in the controversial investigations viewed by many as political persecution was necessary to complete an ongoing investigation into her.
“On the basis of a Perchersk [Kyiv] regional court ruling, Tymoshenko was detained. Investigative actions are currently being conducted,” Oleh Puskar, an official at the prosecutor’s office, told journalists.
Accrording to Pushkar, such a measure was required because “Tymoshenko was sabotaging the investigation.” He stressed that she could be released soon.
“At the moment, Tymoshenko is being interrogated. After this is complete, she could very well be on her way home,” Pushkar added.
Tymoshenko was detained soon after showing up at the prosecutor’s office, where she was called in for questioning.
Strange things are happening
– Hryhoriy Nemyria
Speaking with the Kyiv Post, Hryhory Nemyria, a Tymoshenko confidant said “strange things are happening.”
“This was the first time lawmakers, Tymoshenko’s security enterouage and press service were not allowed to accompany her into the prosecutors office,” he said.
“There are about 20-25 elite security guards in the building” where Tymoshenko is being questioned.
Tymoshenko has been called in for questioning dozens of times in recent months in connection with investigations of alleged wrongdoing that occurred while she was prime minister in 2007-2010.
Prosecutors have launched at least three criminal cases against her. She stands accused of wrongdoing when brokering a 2009 natural gas supply agreement with Russia, in misspending funds raised under the Kyoto Protocol and of wasting funds to purchase automobiles for Ukraine’s rural hospitals.
A handful of officials who served in Tymoshenko’s government are currently behind bars. Two have been in pretrial detention for almost one year. They include former deputy head of state gas company Naftogaz Ihor Didenko and former Customs Service chief Anatoly Makarenko.
Ihor Lutsenko, Ukranie’s ex-Interior Minister, has been behind bars since December 2010.
Tymoshenko, head of the Batkivshchyna party, says the investigations are politically motivated attacks orchestrated by her rival, President Viktor Yanukovych. On May 23, she met with a group of ambassadors from European Union countries to reiterate such concerns.
Yanukovych’s administration denies such allegations and insists the probes are part of an effort to combat corruption. But US and European Union officials have in recent months expressed concern that the investigations resemble “selective justice.” Moreover, democracy watchdog Freedom House downgraded Ukraine months ago from “free” to party “free” in its annual report on democracy in the world. The US-based organization concluded that democracy and media freedoms have suffered one year into the presidency of Yanukovych.
Click here to read a Ukrainian language report about this on www.kyivpost.ua and here to read a Russian language report on the same site.
