Geo World

Court jails Ukraine ex-PM Tymoshenko for 7 years

KIEV: A Ukrainian judge on Tuesday convicted former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko of abusing her authority in office over a 2009 gas deal with Russia and sentenced her to seven years in prison. "The court rules that Y.V. Tymoshenko intentionally used her powers to criminal ends," judge Rodion Kireyev said in his judgement, handing her a seven year jail sentence. Yulia Tymoshenko vowed to contest her conviction on abuse of office charges in Europe and accused the current government of "authoritarianism." "We will fight and defend my good name in the European court," Tymoshenko said after being sentenced to a seven-year jail term. "We have to be strong and defend Ukraine from this authoritarianism." (AFP)