Ombudsman's representative doesn't see violations of Tymoshenko's right to defense

Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's right to defense has not been violated, representatives of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Yuriy Bilousov, has said.

"Her participation in the court proceedings has been ensured via a video linkup. Thus, her right to defense in this case was not violated. Yulia Volodymyrivna thinks that it is an infringement on her rights. The law foresees this right [to participate in a court hearing via a video linkup], while Yulia Volodymyrivna does not agree with this," he told journalists outside Kharkiv-based Central Clinical Hospital No. 5 on Monday.

Bilousov added that he came to Kharkiv when he found out from media reports that the ex-premier asked Ukrainian ombudsman Valeria Lutkovska to ensure that her right to defense is observed. He added that the ombudsman's secretariat never received Tymoshenko's official request. At the same time, Lutkovska decided to send her representative to Kharkiv on order to check the situation.

Bilousov said that on March 3 he met with Tymoshenko and Chief of Central Clinical Hospital No. 5 Mykhailo Afanasyev, as well as the administration of the Department of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv region.

He said that Tymoshenko said she wanted to attend court hearings in person, despite her poor health condition.

"She did not refuse [transportation], and at the same time she said that her health condition is bad and the transportation may worsen it," Bilousov said.

He also said that the hospital chief and the prisons service briefed him on the results of Tymoshenko's examination by the medical commission on February 28 with the participation of experts of the Health Ministry and German doctors from the Charite Clinic.

"As a result of the examination, the doctors came to the conclusion that it is unreasonable to transport Yulia Volodymyrivna to Kyiv, as it is a long trip and it may worsen her state of health. An alternative option was proposed, which could protect Yulia Volodymyrivna's right to defense and does not pose threat to her health – the participation in the court hearing via a video linkup. According to here, this way infringes on her right to defense," Bilousov said.

He also said that he has made sure on his own that video surveillance cameras have been removed from Tymoshenko's ward.