Human Rights Watch is calling on the Ukrainian authorities to conduct a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the beating of Yulia Tymoshenko in the Kachanivska penal colony, according to the Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko. "It is outrageous that Tymoshenko may have been beaten to force her to go to a hospital against her will," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "These allegations should be investigated and anyone responsible for ill-treatment should be prosecuted."
"The Ukrainian government has the obligation to provide adequate medical care to anyone in custody. Human Rights Watch called on the government of Ukraine to find a solution ensuring that Tymoshenko receives appropriate care as a matter of priority," the statement said.
"There is no doubt that the motivation behind the decision to prosecute Tymoshenko is highly suspect. It may be that she was put on trial for making a judgment that the current administration disagrees with rather than committing a criminal act. Such a misuse of the criminal law undermines the very core of the rule of law," Hugh Williamson concluded.
