You're reading: Lutsenko: Granting asylum to Tymoshenko’s husband a sign of political repression in Ukraine

The provision of political asylum in the Czech Republic to Oleksandr Tymoshenko, the husband of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, is a sign of political repression in Ukraine, former Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko has said.

"I describe the receipt of political asylum by Oleksandr Tymoshenko as further confirmation of political repression in Ukraine, which is recognized by the European community," he said in a written comment that was passed through his lawyers to journalists on Wednesday.

In addition, Lutsenko said that recent events surrounding Tymoshenko were a demonstration of the impotence of the current government.

"What’s currently going on around Tymoshenko is a demonstration of the arrogant impotence of the Yanukovych regime [Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych]: they understand that Yulia Tymoshenko has become the center of Ukrainian politics and that it is she that currently forms the agenda in Ukraine, therefore, they are raging, trying to isolate the leader of the Ukrainian opposition from society," he said.

As reported, Oleksandr Tymoshenko was granted political asylum in the Czech Republic under a decision taken by the Czech Interior Ministry.