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| Jailed Yulia Tymoshenko set to face murder charges in Ukraine | Jailed Yulia Tymoshenko set to face murder charges in Ukraine |
| (8 days later) | |
| The daughter of Yulia Tymoshenko fears that new murder charges expected to be brought against her mother have prompted severe health issues for the former Ukrainian prime minister, who faces the prospect of going to jail for life. | The daughter of Yulia Tymoshenko fears that new murder charges expected to be brought against her mother have prompted severe health issues for the former Ukrainian prime minister, who faces the prospect of going to jail for life. |
| Tymoshenko, already serving a seven-year sentence for abuse of office, has now been named as a suspect in the 1996 murder of a Ukrainian MP. | Tymoshenko, already serving a seven-year sentence for abuse of office, has now been named as a suspect in the 1996 murder of a Ukrainian MP. |
| "My mother's name was never mentioned during the 16 years they investigated the case – not once," Eugenia Tymoshenko said in Kharkiv, the north-eastern city where her mother is in jail. "Why is this accusation coming out now and not before?" | "My mother's name was never mentioned during the 16 years they investigated the case – not once," Eugenia Tymoshenko said in Kharkiv, the north-eastern city where her mother is in jail. "Why is this accusation coming out now and not before?" |
| Since criminal charges were first brought against Tymoshenko in December 2010, she and her supporters have insisted that Viktor Yanukovych, the president, was merely using the country's justice system to mete out revenge and silence his chief political rival. | Since criminal charges were first brought against Tymoshenko in December 2010, she and her supporters have insisted that Viktor Yanukovych, the president, was merely using the country's justice system to mete out revenge and silence his chief political rival. |
| Tymoshenko was found guilty in October 2011 of abusing her prime ministerial office while negotiating a gas deal with Russia. Prosecutors brought charges of embezzlement and tax evasion months later. Now prosecutors say she is officially a suspect in the murder of Yevhen Shcherban, an MP and businessman shot dead, along with his wife and several bystanders, at an airport in the eastern city of Donetsk. | Tymoshenko was found guilty in October 2011 of abusing her prime ministerial office while negotiating a gas deal with Russia. Prosecutors brought charges of embezzlement and tax evasion months later. Now prosecutors say she is officially a suspect in the murder of Yevhen Shcherban, an MP and businessman shot dead, along with his wife and several bystanders, at an airport in the eastern city of Donetsk. |
| Ukraine's chief prosecutor, Viktor Pshonka, said Tymoshenko could face life in prison if found guilty of ordering the contract killing, which Ukrainian officials say carried a $2.8m (£1.8m) price tag. | Ukraine's chief prosecutor, Viktor Pshonka, said Tymoshenko could face life in prison if found guilty of ordering the contract killing, which Ukrainian officials say carried a $2.8m (£1.8m) price tag. |
| Tymoshenko, 52, has complained of ill health since her trial, but recently the situation has got worse, her daughter said. "Her health has become critical," Eugenia Tymoshenko said. "She's in a very serious condition, in bad pain. She is mainly lying down." | Tymoshenko, 52, has complained of ill health since her trial, but recently the situation has got worse, her daughter said. "Her health has become critical," Eugenia Tymoshenko said. "She's in a very serious condition, in bad pain. She is mainly lying down." |
| Tymoshenko has been transferred to a hospital, but it lacks the doctors and equipment to treat her worsening back pain, her daughter said. | Tymoshenko has been transferred to a hospital, but it lacks the doctors and equipment to treat her worsening back pain, her daughter said. |
| Tymoshenko has also complained that video cameras have been installed in her hospital room and has launched a "disobedience campaign" in response – she refuses to sleep in her hospital bed, and has taken to a cot set up in a shower room instead. | Tymoshenko has also complained that video cameras have been installed in her hospital room and has launched a "disobedience campaign" in response – she refuses to sleep in her hospital bed, and has taken to a cot set up in a shower room instead. |
| "Most of the time, she is in inhuman psychological conditions that always cause her pain and cause her condition to become worse," her daughter said. | "Most of the time, she is in inhuman psychological conditions that always cause her pain and cause her condition to become worse," her daughter said. |
| "Now, after several weeks of protest and the fact that, in spite of her bad health, she's been submitted to investigation procedures by the general prosecutor, her health has become worse." | "Now, after several weeks of protest and the fact that, in spite of her bad health, she's been submitted to investigation procedures by the general prosecutor, her health has become worse." |
| Tymoshenko is a complex figure in Ukraine, associated both with the criminally chaotic post-Soviet 90s when she became a supremely wealthy oligarch, and also with co-leading the country's 2004-05 pro-western Orange revolution. There are many in the country who passionately admire her, and just as many who equally despise her. | Tymoshenko is a complex figure in Ukraine, associated both with the criminally chaotic post-Soviet 90s when she became a supremely wealthy oligarch, and also with co-leading the country's 2004-05 pro-western Orange revolution. There are many in the country who passionately admire her, and just as many who equally despise her. |
| Yet few believe the cases against her are the result of justice. A poll conducted by Kiev's international sociology institute in early 2012 found that just 26% of those polled believed she had been found guilty of a crime while 39% believed it was the result of her political activity. | Yet few believe the cases against her are the result of justice. A poll conducted by Kiev's international sociology institute in early 2012 found that just 26% of those polled believed she had been found guilty of a crime while 39% believed it was the result of her political activity. |
| Tymoshenko has denied any part in Shcherban's killing. Her naming as a suspect came amid a wider campaign of pressure against her team. | Tymoshenko has denied any part in Shcherban's killing. Her naming as a suspect came amid a wider campaign of pressure against her team. |
| Last week, her lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko, said he was under criminal investigation for car theft, robbery and failing to obey a court ruling related to his divorce and feared arrest as part of the campaign against his client. | Last week, her lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko, said he was under criminal investigation for car theft, robbery and failing to obey a court ruling related to his divorce and feared arrest as part of the campaign against his client. |
| The step to new charges against Tymoshenko come at precarious time. On 25 February, the EU and Ukraine are due to hold a summit to discuss the country's integration with the bloc. Western leaders have been loudly critical of Tymoshenko's detention. | The step to new charges against Tymoshenko come at precarious time. On 25 February, the EU and Ukraine are due to hold a summit to discuss the country's integration with the bloc. Western leaders have been loudly critical of Tymoshenko's detention. |
| At the same time, Russia has been pressuring Yanukovych's government to join its customs union, something analysts believe is designed to solidify its influence in the region. | At the same time, Russia has been pressuring Yanukovych's government to join its customs union, something analysts believe is designed to solidify its influence in the region. |
| "The fate of Ukraine is that we are found between Russia and Europe – this is the year Ukraine will have to choose," said Volodymyr Fesenko, chairman of the Penta Centre for Applied Political Studies in Kiev. "To join these two vectors is impossible." | "The fate of Ukraine is that we are found between Russia and Europe – this is the year Ukraine will have to choose," said Volodymyr Fesenko, chairman of the Penta Centre for Applied Political Studies in Kiev. "To join these two vectors is impossible." |
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