Rodion Kireyev, the judge presiding over the criminal case against Yulia Tymoshenko in the Pechersk District Court of Kyiv, has adjourned the trial until 11 am on Monday, July 18, according to the Official website of Yulia Tymoshenko.
Judge Kireyev, referring to procedural law, said that after the announcement of the indictments and civil lawsuit filed by a representative of Naftohaz, the defense needs times to review these documents.
After the indictment was read out loud, representative of Naftohaz Ihor Kost, a civil plaintiff in the case, filed a claim seeking 1.516 billion hryvnias from Yulia Tymoshenko as compensation for losses allegedly incurred by the company as a result of the signing of gas contracts with Gazprom and the execution of the prime minister’s directives.
As reported, earlier today Judge Kireyev ejected Yulia Tymoshenko from the courtroom and decided to continue the hearing in her criminal case without her or her lawyers.
After leaving the courtroom, Yulia Tymoshenko accused the judge of violating the Constitution. "Today, in violation of the Constitution and law, the judge committed an unprecedented act and has begun considering the case without the presence of me and my lawyers, thus violating article 262 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which requires that I be in the courtroom," she said.
According to article 262 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine: "In the absence of the defendant, the case may be considered only on exceptional basis: 1) when the defendant stays outside the limits of Ukraine and evades appearing in court; 2) if the defendant requests that his/her case related to crime which may not be punished with confinement be considered in his/her absence."
