Oleksandr Turchynov, first deputy head of Batkivshchyna, believes the court moved the hearings in Yulia Tymoshenko’s appeals of her sentence in the so-called “gas case” and second arrest out of fear of showing there is no justice in Ukraine ahead of the EU-Ukraine summit, according to the Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko.
"Any court in which there is even a drop of justice should overturn the order to re-arrest. At the same time, we understand that the presidential administration, which ordered this case, has forbidden the court from canceling illegal decisions. But they’re afraid on the eve of the summit to again demonstrate the lack of justice in Ukraine," Oleksandr Turchynov told journalists today after leaving the appellate court.
In turn, lawyer Serhiy Vlasenko said there were no legal reasons to move the appeal hearing. "Yulia Tymoshenko agreed to have the appeal considered in her absence. The prosecutors also said that the proceedings should continue. But the court, having clear instructions, postponed the consideration of the appeal without any reason and without any necessity," he said.
On December 14, the Kyiv Court of Appeals postponed the consideration of Yulia Tymoshenko’s conviction in the so-called "gas case" until December 20, saying that the ex-premier should be given a third chance to attend the hearing and to request a certification on her health from the jail administration.
Today the three-judge panel decided to move to December 21 the hearing in Yulia Tymoshenko’s appeal of her second arrest, claiming that her statement requesting that the appeal continue in her absence wasn’t properly filed with the court.
The EU-Ukraine summit will take place in Kyiv in December 19. European institutions have said that the signing of an association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union will depend on whether the Ukrainian authorities ensure the rule of law, in particular during the appeal of Yulia Tymoshenko’s sentence.
