High Anti-Corruption Court returns Yulia Tymoshenko’s passports
Yulia Tymoshenko (Photo: REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi)
The High Anti‑Corruption Court (HACC) decided to
return seized passports to opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, who is charged
with bribing MPs to secure votes in parliament, public broadcaster Suspilne
reported on May 7.
The court kept in place requirements that Tymoshenko appear on demand for investigators, prosecutors and the court, and that she notify them of any change of residence or employment.
Prosecutors had asked the court to extend those appearance and notification requirements for two months and to order Tymoshenko to surrender her foreign passports. They said she posed several risks, including the possibility of evading justice during foreign trips, noting she traveled abroad 31 times last year.
Prosecutors also said Tymoshenko might unlawfully influence witnesses or experts, tamper with evidence, or, because of her position as a lawmaker, commit other criminal offenses.
Tymoshenko called the case politically motivated and said she does not intend to leave Ukraine.
Tymoshenko is suspected of giving bribes to MPs to influence
votes in the Ukrainian parliament (Verkhovna Rada). The National Anti‑Corruption
Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) released audio recordings Jan. 14 that prosecutors say
include a woman’s voice believed to be Tymoshenko’s discussing amounts and directing lawmakers to vote for or
against specific bills, including those on appointments or dismissals of senior
government officials.
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