Tymoshenko court delays prevent human rights case

The continual postponement of hearings into the case against former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for abuse of office is preventing her lawyers from appealing to the European Court for Human Rights, daughter Eugenia Tymoshenko said, according to Bloomberg News yesterday. The ECHR will not accept the case until court proceedings have been exhausted in Ukraine. Yulia Tymoshenko has refused to attend the hearings due to health concerns and Ukrainian judges in two pending cases against her have refused to try her in absentia.

Brad Wells: We continue to expect both pending cases against Tymoshenko to be on hold until she is well enough to participate, following the debacle of her first trial last fall, which was derided as unfair and inhumane. One claim to the ECHR regarding Tymoshenko’s arrest already in process and fast-tracked by the court is due to be heard on August 28. Even if Tymoshenko is somehow cleared of her first sentence, as long as there are outstanding cases against her, in accordance with Ukrainian law, Tymoshenko can remain in remand and will not be allowed to participate in the October parliamentary election.