Ukraine refusing jailed former premier painkillers, claims daughter

Published on Friday 10 February 2012 00:46

The daughter of jailed former Ukrainian premier Yulia Tymoshenko has accused prison authorities of subjecting her mother to “horrendous” suffering by denying her painkillers. Tymoshenko is serving seven years on charges of abuse of office after a trial that the West has condemned as being politically motivated. She has been bedridden at a prison in eastern Ukraine, complaining of severe back pain and accusing authorities of denying her proper medical care.

Eugenia Tymoshenko said yesterday her mother has been deprived of painkillers for several days. “She is in horrendous pain, she cannot get up from her bed,” she said.

She claimed prison doctors were mistreating and misdiagnosing her mother, who will be examined by Canadian and German medics next week. Tymoshenko, who was convicted in October, accuses president Viktor Yanukovych of orchestrating the charges to get rid of a rival. She lost the last presidential race to Mr Yanukovych.