Ukraine's high court postpones Yulia Tymoshenko appeal

Ukraine's highest court has postponed hearing the former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's appeal against her conviction and seven-year sentence on charges of abusing her powers in signing a gas deal with Russia.

Prosecutors argued yesterday that the appeal should be delayed because she is undergoing medical treatment for a back condition in a hospital in Kharkiv, the city where she is imprisoned, and would be unable to appear in court in Kiev.

In ruling in favour of the prosecution, the High Specialised Court on Civil and Criminal Cases set a new date of 26 June.

Ms Tymoshenko has accused President Viktor Yanukovych of throwing her into jail to prevent her from posing a challenge in October parliamentary elections. Her lawyer condemned the deferral.