Pshonka: Prosecutors reject Tymoshenko's request to open case on her alleged beating

KYIV, May 5 /UKRINFORM/. The prosecuting authorities have conducted checks at the request of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko regarding the use of physical force against her by officials of the Kachanivska penal colony and decided to reject her request to launch a criminal case, Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka said at a press conference on Friday.

"The materials have been finalized with the decision to reject the request to open a criminal case. Such a decision was taken by the employees of Kharkiv Prosecutor's Office on May 3. The materials have been studied by the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, and employees of the Prosecutor General's Office agreed with the decision to reject the request to launch a criminal case after studying all the details," the prosecutor general said.

He said that the checks were very thorough, there are now three volumes of materials on this case, the chronology of events was reproduced, and there is testimony by witnesses who have not confirmed the veracity of statements made by Tymoshenko.

When asked whether the ex-prime minister could bruise herself, Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor Hennadiy Tiurin said: "We do not rule out such a possibility."

As reported, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said that prison guards beat her during a forced visit to a hospital on April 20.

Checks were conducted in connection with this fact, and allegations made by the ex-premier were not confirmed. According to the chief of the main department of supervision over the observance of laws during the execution of court rulings at the Prosecutor General's Office, Vadym Horan, said that forensic doctors had made the conclusion that bruises on Tymoshenko's body could not occur on April 20.