Court begins hearing Tymoshenko appeal

Ukraine’s Higher Specialized Court for Civil and Criminal Cases began hearing an appeal by former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko yesterday against her seven-year jail sentence after an October 2011 guilty ruling for her role in the signing of 2009 gas contracts with Russia. The hearing will continue on August 21.

Brad Wells: The continuation of the hearing is something of a surprise after almost perpetual postponements due to Tymoshenko’s poor health and judges refusing to carry out hearings in her absense. As we noted yesterday, the conclusion of this appeal would open the door for Tymoshenko’s lawyers to file a claim with the European Court for Human Rights, which can only be done once the Ukrainian legal process is exhausted.