Support The Moscow Times!

'Visegrad Four' Slam Tymoshenko's Arrest

Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko attending a court hearing in a district court in Kiev on Wednesday. Alexander Prokopenko

Four countries that were once part of the Communist bloc have condemned the imprisonment of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko during her trial for abuse of office.

The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia — known as the Visegrad Four — said in a joint statement Tuesday that Tymoshenko's arrest was "inadequate to the charges of violating court rules," and "fair, transparent and independent judicial procedure should be granted to all Ukrainians."

Tymoshenko was arrested on a judge's orders Friday during a hearing. She has criticized the trial as an attempt by the current government to bar her from elections.

The countries say Ukraine will have to adhere to the rule of law and fair judicial procedures if it is to join the European Union.

The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, John Tefft, has requested a meeting with Tymoshenko in detention, Itar-Tass reported Wednesday. It remained unclear whether he would be allowed one.

Heavyweight boxing champion Vitaly Klitchko, who is a member of Kiev’s city legislature, said Wednesday that he was ready to act as a guarantor for Tymoshenko's bail, Interfax reported. Her supporters collected about 10,000 signatures for a petition for her release, and about 100 of them continued to camp in downtown Kiev to protest her arrest, news reports said.

Tymoshenko, who appeared in court for her ongoing trial Wednesday, has voiced no complaints about her conditions in detention but asked supporters to provide her with a television set, a copy of Ukraine's Constitution and books by Anton Chekhov, Mario Vargas Llosa, Haruki Murakami and several Ukrainian writers, her husband told the newspaper Ukrainskaya Pravda.

(AP, MT)

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more