Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


    November 22, 2011

Tymoshenko to Get Medical Treatment Outside Kyiv Prison

   VOA News
   Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko waves to supporters
   from a prison window in Kiev, Ukraine, November 4, 2011. Photo: AP
   Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko waves to supporters
   from a prison window in Kiev, Ukraine, November 4, 2011.

   Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has promised to allow jailed
   former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko to receive medical attention
   outside of the Kyiv prison, where she is currently being held.
   Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Yanukovych said he had spoken
   with government officials about Tymoshenko's health and was informed
   the prison healthcare system is not up to the required standards.
   He said she would be treated in medical establishments in Kyiv outside
   of prison "either today or tomorrow."
   Concerns about Tymoshenko's health arose Monday when Ukrainian Human
   Rights Chief Nina Karpacheva said the former prime minister was
   suffering from serious medical problems and should receive treatment
   outside of prison.
   Karpacheva said the 50-year-old Tymoshenko was unable to get out of bed
   to speak with her, and added that investigators should not interrogate
   the opposition leader in her prison cell.
   Last month, Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in prison for
   exceeding her power as prime minister when she signed a 2009 gas deal
   with Russia that her opponents say was overly beneficial to Moscow.
   Earlier this month, Ukrainian officials filed additional charges
   against Tymoshenko, including embezzlement, theft and tax evasion.
   Ukraine's State Tax Administration said Friday that she failed to pay
   nearly $6 million in taxes when she headed a Ukrainian energy company
   in the 1990s. It also said Tymoshenko concealed $165 million in
   corporate revenue.
   The former prime minister has repeatedly denied the charges and has
   described her trial as "a political lynching" aimed at allowing
   President Yanukovych to rid himself of a political rival. She had been
   expected to be the main opposition candidate in a parliamentary
   election next year, but is not eligible to run if the conviction is
   upheld. Her lawyers have said they will appeal the verdict.
   The United States, the European Union and several rights groups have
   condemned the charges against Tymoshenko as politically motivated.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.