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Timoshenko refuses to participate in trial over new criminal case

She is accused of financial abuses at the post of the chief executive of the United Energy Systems of Ukraine Corporation in 1995-1997

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

KIEV, April 18 (Itar-Tass) — The former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko refused to participate in a trial over the criminal case connected with the United Energy Systems of Ukraine corporation on April 9, the Ukrainian State Penitentiary Service reported on Wednesday.

“According to my rights under the Ukrainian Criminal Procedure Code I ask to hold a preliminary court session over the foresaid criminal case without me over the bad health,” Timoshenko said.

Ivan Pervushkin, the chief of the Kachanovo penitentiary in Kharkov, where Timoshenko serves a sentence of seven years, told reporters on Wednesday that the prison authorities do not have the orders to convoy the former prime minister to the court. “I do not have any documents to this effect. I do not have the order to convoy her,” he said.

On April 19, the Kievsky District Court of Kharkov scheduled a preliminary court session over the criminal case against Timoshenko, who is accused of financial abuses at the post of the chief executive of the United Energy Systems of Ukraine Corporation in 1995-1997.

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