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Ukrainian leader Yanukovych pardons Tymoshenko ally Ukrainian leader Yanukovych pardons Tymoshenko ally
(about 2 hours later)
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has pardoned a former interior minister who was serving a four-year prison sentence for embezzlement and abuse of office. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has pardoned an ex-interior minister serving a four-year prison sentence for embezzlement and abuse of office.
Yuri Lutsenko was a close ally of former Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, who is herself serving a seven-year sentence for abuse of power.Yuri Lutsenko was a close ally of former Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, who is herself serving a seven-year sentence for abuse of power.
Their cases have caused tension between Kiev and the EU, which has accused the Ukrainian authorities of deliberately pursuing legal cases against opponents of the president. A top EU official welcomed the pardon as a "first but important step".
European officials have repeatedly called for the release of both prisoners. Brussels has accused the Ukrainian authorities of deliberately prosecuting opponents of the president.
A presidential statement said Mr Yanukovych had pardoned six people in order to "humanise legal norms and reduce the number of people held in custody". Writing on Twitter, EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele said he welcomed the pardon "very much" and that it was a "first but important step to deal with selective justice".
A Ukrainian presidential statement said Mr Yanukovych had pardoned six people in order to "humanise legal norms and reduce the number of people held in custody".