Court Rejects Tymoshenko Appeal On Detention Conditions

Jailed Ukrainian former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko

A Ukrainian court has rejected an appeal by jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to ease her detention conditions.

Lawyers for Tymoshenko applied to the court in the eastern town of Kharkiv, where Tymoshenko is being held mostly in a prison hospital, to allow her to use a mobile phone, have more visitors, and take walks around the town.

On February 11, the court rejected the appeal.

Tymoshenko was jailed in 2011 for seven years for abuse of power.

The European Union has condemned her imprisonment as political and urged President Viktor Yanukovych to release her.

Yanukovych has so far refused to heed the EU's calls.

In November 2013, he pulled back from a landmark agreement with the EU in favor of closer ties with Russia.

His decision triggered massive protests that have gone into a third month.


Based on reporting by AFP and AP