Assemblée parlementaire de l'OTAN
HomeMEDIA RESOURCES201114 October 2011 - STATEMENT BY DR KARL A. LAMERS, PRESIDENT OF THE NATO PA, ON THE SENTENCING OF YULIA TYMOSHENKO

14 October 2011 - STATEMENT BY DR KARL A. LAMERS, PRESIDENT OF THE NATO PA, ON THE SENTENCING OF YULIA TYMOSHENKO

Facebook
Twitter
Delicious
Google Buzz
diggIt
RSS

I am deeply concerned by the conviction of former Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko and her sentencing to 7 years’ imprisonment. Competent international organisations have reported clear signs that this trial fell short of internationally recognised norms of fairness, transparency, independence of the judiciary, and due process, and raised serious questions about the political motivations behind this case, the conduct of the trial, the law upon which it was based, and the harsh verdict.

I urge the Ukrainian authorities to ensure that the appeal is conducted transparently and fairly, and that the serious issues which this trial has exposed are addressed rapidly.  The apparent political bias in this and other cases against leading opposition figures and former members of the government weaken Ukraine's democratic development. There must be no scope for accusations that the judicial system is anything other than impartial and free from political influence.
Share