Ukraine's top court upholds conviction of ex-PM

KIEV - Ukraine's top court on Wednesday rejected the appeal by former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, thus upholding her abuse of power conviction and a seven-year sentence.

Evgenia Tymoshenko (L), daughter of jailed opposition leader and former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, talks to her mother's lawyer Sergei Vlasenko as they arrive at the European Human Rights Court to attend a hearing on the case of her mother in Strasbourg, August 28, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

"The judges came to the conclusion that the appeal is not subject to approval," Judge Alexander Elfimov told a court hearing.

The top court concluded that the rights of Tymoshenko were not violated by the Kiev court of appeals, which rejected the former prime minister's appeal on December 23, the Judge said.

The top court also found that the rights of ex-premier for medical care and participation in the trials were not violated, as Tymoshenko "had no medical contraindications to participate in court proceedings."

Tymoshenko, in office from 2007 to 2010, was sentenced in October and is serving her 7-year term in prison in the eastern city of Kharkiv. She was convicted on abuse of office over a 2009 gas deal with Russia.

She is facing new charges of tax evasion back in the 1990s when she was a businesswoman.

The Kharkiv court and the Ukrainian Supreme Court, which are engaged in both charges have postponed both trials several times due to Tymoshenko's inability to attend hearings.

Tymoshenko did not attend the courts as she is suffering severe back pain since October 2011 and being treated for the illness by Ukrainian and German doctors.

Tymoshenko, 51, a political rival to President Viktor Yanukovych, has denied all the charges, calling the allegations politically motivated.

The former prime minister has filled a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights, saying that she was unlawfully arrested and had not received adequate healthcare.