Court decides preliminary consideration of Tymoshenko's appeal can be held without her presence

Kyiv Court of Appeals has decided that the preliminary hearing of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's appeal can be held in her absence.

Reporting Judge of the Appeals Court Olena Sitailo announced this after returning from the deliberations room, where the issue of whether the hearing could proceed in Tymoshenko's absence was discussed.

Earlier, the ex-premier's defense counsel Yuriy Sukhov asked the court to postpone the hearing of her appeal against her seven-year conviction, saying that Tymoshenko was seriously ill.