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Ukraine jails Tymoshenko for seven years
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Candidate
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| Contributor | IndyGeorgia |
| Last Edited | IndyGeorgia Oct 11, 2011 12:33pm |
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| Category | News |
| Author | Anya Tsukanova and Zoya Zhminko |
| Media | Website - Yahoo News |
| News Date | Tuesday, October 11, 2011 06:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | A Ukrainian court Tuesday jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko for seven years after convicting her of abuse of power, in a ruling that endangers Kiev's hopes of joining the European Union.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that the verdict could prompt a reassessment of the bloc's ties with Ukraine, which had hoped this year to sign an Association Agreement in a key first step to membership.
But in apparent recognition of the potentially devastating consequences for the country, President Viktor Yanukovych insisted the decision was not final and that he understood the European Union's anxiety over the trial.
The trial "risks having profound implications for the EU-Ukraine bilateral relationship, including for the conclusion of the Association Agreement," Ashton said in a statement.
Judge Rodion Kireyev earlier found Tymoshenko guilty of exceeding her authority while prime minister in 2009 by making the state energy company sign a 10-year gas import deal with Russia that was overly advantageous to Moscow.
"The court rules that Y.V. Tymoshenko intentionally used her powers to criminal ends," Kireyev said in his judgement. "The court finds her guilty and sentences her to seven years in prison."
Tymoshenko, her hair plaited intricately around her head and wearing an immaculate beige dress, defiantly shouted "Glory to Ukraine!" to her supporters in the court, who proclaimed "Glory to the Heroes!" in response.
"We will fight and defend my good name in the European court. We have to be strong and defend Ukraine from this authoritarianism," she said. |
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