Charges Against Tymoshenko's Lawyer Dropped

Serhiy Vlasenko still faces a new charge of "unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping" of his ex-wife.

A Kyiv court has dropped battery charges against the lawyer of jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Kyiv's Pechera district court ruled on January 17 the case against Serhiy Vlasenko, who was charged with assaulting his ex-wife, must be closed as the incident took place too long ago.

Vlasenko told journalists after the ruling was pronounced that he was ready to prove his innocence in any court.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian prosecutors said on January 15 that Vlasenko faced a new charge of "unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping" of his ex-spouse.

The new charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in jail.

Last week a court extended by two months a ban that prevents Vlasenko from traveling beyond either the capital, Kyiv, or the eastern city of Kharkiv, where Tymoshenko is hospitalized under guard.

Based on reporting by UNIAN and Interfax