You're reading: Vlasenko: Yanukovych should take charge of Tymoshenko’s teatment

The defense lawyer of former Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko, Serhiy Vlasenko, has said Ukraine is obliged to carry out an instruction of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the treatment of Tymoshenko in a special medical establishment and has urged Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to issue a relevant decree on the issue.

"[President] Yanukovych has to take personal control over the case and issue instructions to ensure adequate treatment is given to Yulia Tymoshenko in the conditions recommended by the German doctors, in a special medical establishment. Tymoshenko considers this way of fulfillment of the ECHR’s instruction as the most optimal and effective," Vlasenko said at a press conference in Kyiv on March 19.

"I’d like to stress that implementation of the instruction of the ECHR is a legal liability of Ukraine as a state," the lawyer said.

He also described as political insinuation statements by some officials, according to which Tymoshenko will be treated in the Kachanivska Penal Colony.

"This would not be the implementation of the ECHR’s instruction," he added.

Vlasenko added that it would be logical if the German doctors that had examined Tymoshenko could recommend an establishment for her treatment.

As reported, the ECHR asked the Ukrainian government to ensure that former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko receives adequate medical treatment in an appropriate institution. Ukrainian Justice Minister Oleksandr Lavrynovych said at a press conference on Friday that on March 15 the Justice Ministry received additional inquiries from the ECHR regarding the conditions for the treatment of Tymoshenko. According to Lavrynovych, Ukraine has to respond to the inquiries by March 22.

At the same time, he said that there are no legal obstacles to treating Tymoshenko in a hospital outside the Kachanivska penal colony if this is necessary.

On March 13, Tymoshenko’s defense lawyer revealed German doctors’ conclusions on her health condition, calling for immediate hospital treatment to be provided to the prisoner.

"Overall, the proposed diagnostic procedures and therapeutic measures must be carried out only as a part of hospital treatment at a specialized clinic. The first course of hospital treatment must start immediately, as the disease could get worse. It would not even be possible to treat such a patient in a German prison. This is because of the complexity of the necessary measures, the seriousness of the current damage," the lawyer said.

At the same time, the State Penitentiary Service said that all necessary conditions for the treatment of Tymoshenko have been created at the Kachanivska Penal Colony.