The husband of Ukraine's jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko has asked for asylum in the Czech Republic, Radio Liberty reported on Friday, with reference to the Czech newspaper Pravo.
The report said Oleksandr Tymoshenko asked for asylum at the end of last year. The "Pravo" daily in Prague said on January 6 that the Czech interior and foreign ministers discussed the issue on January 4.
"Pravo's" website says it is "very likely" Oleksandr Tymoshenko, a 51-year-old businessman who also has business interests in the Czech Republic, will be granted asylum.
Interior Ministry spokesman Pavel Novak told the AFP news agency that the ministry does not comment on asylum requests.
Tymoshenko's Batkivschyna party also declined comment.
Nonetheless, Czech state radio's main news channel reported that Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has confirmed that Tymoshenko is currently in the Czech Republic.
Yulia Tymoshenko, a leader of Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution, was sentenced last October to seven years in prison for abuse of office.
The Ukrainian opposition and Western nations have criticized the trial as politically motivated.
A year ago, the Czech Republic granted asylum to Bogdan Danylyshyn, economy minister in Tymoshenko's government in 2007-2010, causing a row with Ukraine that led to the expulsion of two Czech diplomats for alleged espionage in May 2011.
The report said Oleksandr Tymoshenko asked for asylum at the end of last year. The "Pravo" daily in Prague said on January 6 that the Czech interior and foreign ministers discussed the issue on January 4.
"Pravo's" website says it is "very likely" Oleksandr Tymoshenko, a 51-year-old businessman who also has business interests in the Czech Republic, will be granted asylum.
Interior Ministry spokesman Pavel Novak told the AFP news agency that the ministry does not comment on asylum requests.
Tymoshenko's Batkivschyna party also declined comment.
Nonetheless, Czech state radio's main news channel reported that Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has confirmed that Tymoshenko is currently in the Czech Republic.
Yulia Tymoshenko, a leader of Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution, was sentenced last October to seven years in prison for abuse of office.
The Ukrainian opposition and Western nations have criticized the trial as politically motivated.
A year ago, the Czech Republic granted asylum to Bogdan Danylyshyn, economy minister in Tymoshenko's government in 2007-2010, causing a row with Ukraine that led to the expulsion of two Czech diplomats for alleged espionage in May 2011.
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