The Tymoshenko case has reached the UN Special Rapporteurs
Details regarding the substance of the criminal proceedings against Yulia Tymoshenko are set out in Transparency International Ukraine’s monitoring of High Anti-Corruption Court cases.
European international human rights lawyers François Zimeray, Jessica Finel and Catalina de la Sota have written to four special rapporteurs at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding the proceedings against Yulia Tymoshenko, a Member of Parliament and leader of the “Batkivshchyna” party.
According to AFP, in their appeal, the lawyers outlined circumstances which they consider to be violations of Tymoshenko’s fundamental rights by the NABU, the SAPO and the High Anti-Corruption Court.
The lawyers claim that the case shows signs of politically motivated persecution of one of the opposition leaders. They also allege possible violations of the right to a fair trial.
What the lawyers said
According to the publication, the authors of the appeal highlight several aspects of the proceedings. In particular, they claim that the defence was denied access to some of the evidence that is considered key to the case.
This includes, among other things, the original version of the audio recording. In the lawyers’ view, such circumstances may indicate a breach of procedural safeguards.
The lawyers have called on the UN Special Rapporteurs to respond to the situation, which they describe as serious human rights violations against Yulia Tymoshenko.
What is known about the Tymoshenko case
According to Transparency International Ukraine, the NABU and the SAPO suspect Yulia Tymoshenko of offering unlawful benefits to members of the Ukrainian parliament in exchange for their loyalty during votes.
The High Anti-Corruption Court’s case monitoring notes that the proceedings relate to Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The pre-trial investigation began on 27 November 2025.
On 4 June, “Slovo i Dilo” reported that the High Anti-Corruption Court had scheduled a preparatory hearing in the Tymoshenko case for 16 June 2026. According to the publication, the case is to be heard by Judge Oleg Tkachenko.
What is known about François Zimeray
François Zimeray is a French human rights lawyer and former French Ambassador for Human Rights. He also publicly advocates holding Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine.
Previously, according to RBC-Ukraine, members of the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe also expressed concern regarding the observance of Yulia Tymoshenko’s rights and the impartiality of the investigation.
Separately, the Kharkiv Human Rights Group concluded in its report that the investigation into the Tymoshenko case may show signs of political motivation. These statements represent the views of human rights defenders and lawyers, not facts established by a court.
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