European People's Party (EPP) President Wilfried Martens says the rejection by the High Specialized Court of Ukraine for Civil and Criminal Cases of Yulia Tymoshenko’s appeal shows that the justice system in Ukraine has become a tool used by the regime to consolidate its power, according to Official web site of Yulia Tymoshenko.
"This decision surprises nobody. Regretfully, the decision shows once again that justice in Ukraine is only a tool manipulated by the Ukrainian regime in order to consolidate its power," Martens said.
The EPP president recalled that the European Union, the United States of America, and major international organizations have already declared that the trial, which sentenced Yulia Tymoshenko, did not respect international legal standards and was politically motivated. "It would be too easy now for the current regime to pretend to organize free and fair elections in October, after decapitating its political opposition. President Yanukovych should not expect democrats and friends of Ukraine to be so naive," he added.
Now that all legal remedies in Ukraine have been exhausted, President Martens urged for a speedy review of Yulia Tymoshenko's case by the European Court of Human Rights. "My hope is that the court in Strasbourg, which is the ultimate defender of European values, will be able to deliberate on the case as soon as possible. The European future of Ukraine depends on it," Martens concluded.
