In an interview with The Time Magazine President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych said he wants to release Yulia Tymoshenko, but cannot do this until all court instances in Ukraine and then European Court on human Rights have issued decisions on this case.
"People have come asking me for various resolutions. The simplest resolution is just to let Tymoshenko go. My reaction to that is this: I can’t act outside the framework of the law … The President does not have such instruments. I have to do everything by the letter of the law. So when could these questions [of her release] arise? They can arise when the legal process is finished. When it is finished, when the courts have made their decisions, including the European Court of Human Rights, then it is in the President’s authority to grant a pardon. And if this time comes, there is a procedure for this. But until the courts have made their decision, in a transparent, legal and procedurally sound way, I do not have the power to do this," Yanukovych explained.
The President assured that he does not have the goal of locking up his political opponents. "I can prove this, with facts. Let the opposition say the opposite. But watch the television, and you will see that the ruling government does not appear there at all. The opposition takes up 99% [of airtime]. They behave in a radical way, and nobody locks them up," he said.
Commenting on the accusations by the opposition Yanukovych said he has nothing to fear. "If they have arguments, if they have proof, I will not run away from the law. I am not afraid for myself. I’ve been through everything in my life, and I’m not afraid of these trials."
"People have come asking me for various resolutions. The simplest resolution is just to let Tymoshenko go. My reaction to that is this: I can’t act outside the framework of the law … The President does not have such instruments. I have to do everything by the letter of the law. So when could these questions [of her release] arise? They can arise when the legal process is finished. When it is finished, when the courts have made their decisions, including the European Court of Human Rights, then it is in the President’s authority to grant a pardon. And if this time comes, there is a procedure for this. But until the courts have made their decision, in a transparent, legal and procedurally sound way, I do not have the power to do this," Yanukovych explained.
The President assured that he does not have the goal of locking up his political opponents. "I can prove this, with facts. Let the opposition say the opposite. But watch the television, and you will see that the ruling government does not appear there at all. The opposition takes up 99% [of airtime]. They behave in a radical way, and nobody locks them up," he said.
Commenting on the accusations by the opposition Yanukovych said he has nothing to fear. "If they have arguments, if they have proof, I will not run away from the law. I am not afraid for myself. I’ve been through everything in my life, and I’m not afraid of these trials."
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