European Court of Human Rights ruling becomes legally binding

Three months ago the European Court of Human Rights condemned the imprisonment on remand of Ukrainian opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko. The court's ruling is now about to become legally binding.

Rebecca Harms, Co-President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, said:

"The Ukrainian opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko must be released immediately! The authorities in Kiev must finally comply with the ruling handed down by the European Court of Human Rights. The court's decision that Tymoshenko's imprisonment on remand constituted a human rights violation will become legally binding on 31 July, the expiry date of the period for objection. Three months ago, the court described the Ukrainian politician's detention on remand as arbitrary.

Decisions by the Ukrainian government and president that are as arbitrary as the one to jail Tymoshenko jeopardise the deepening of relations between Ukraine and the European Union. The release and rehabilitation of Yulia Tymoshenko are prerequisites for the conclusion of an Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. The rule of law, an independent judiciary and democratic progress are prerequisites for the entry into force of such an agreement."