Leading International Law Firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP did not Find Evidence of Political Motivation in Judgement of Tymoshenko

Kiev, Ukraine (ots/PRNewswire) -

The Ministry of Justice has received the independent report of the
law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, following its
investigation of the Yulia Tymoshenko prosecution for exceeding her
official powers at the conclusion of contracts between Russian
Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukraine.

In accordance with the signed agreement, Skadden Arps has
delivered an independent report that clearly documents the events
that were the subject of the trial and the trial itself. Through
detailed analysis and a focus on the evidence, the report addresses
critics, who have challenged the legal process and also the
conviction, based on Yulia Tymoshenko's claims that the prosecution
was politically motivated and that her human rights have been abused.
For this reason, the Ministry of Justice asked the leading
international law firm to investigate the matter, taking into account
all legal documents and opinions of all parties.

This report, published today on the Ministry's website without
amendment, concludes as groundless Yulia Tymoshenko's claims that her
prosecution was politically motivated and states that she has
provided no factual evidence that would be sufficient to overturn her
conviction under European or American standards.

The report also points out that Yulia Tymoshenko's conduct in
court would have been unacceptable in other countries and would
likely have resulted in a contempt of court finding.

The Skadden Arps report shows how Yulia Tymoshenko overstepped her
authority and committed this crime:

1) by drafting Directives that set forth the terms that she and Prime
Minister of the Russian Federation had agreed to;
2) by ordering the head of NAK Naftogaz Ukraine to sign an agreement with
Gazprom in the absence of approval from the Cabinet of Ministers;
3) by threatening to fire the head of NAK Naftogaz Ukraine if he did not sign
the agreement;
4) and by deceiving the head of NAK Naftogaz Ukraine into believing that the
Cabinet of Ministers had approved the agreement after producing an official looking
document bearing her signature and the seal of Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers, despite
the fact no such approval had been given for the document named "Directives".

Even where the Skadden Arps Report questions certain procedural
decisions by the court, it concludes that these decisions were based
on actions by Tymoshenko designed to disrupt the court's work.

The court concluded that Yulia Tymoshenko's actions caused grave
damage to Ukraine, since citizens of Ukraine continue to pay the
highest prices in Europe for their gas due to Tymoshenko's deal with
Russia. In this sense, every citizen of this country is a victim of
this crime.

The Ministry of Justice is grateful to Skadden Arps for this
professional analysis that unconditionally lays out the facts of this
matter.

The Skadden Arps Report can be downloaded from the Ministry of
Justice website at this address:

http://www.minjust.gov.ua/42565

ots Originaltext: Ministry of Justice of Ukraine
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Contact: Press Office - Ministry of Justice, Telephone:
+38-044-271-17-33, Email: press@minjust.gov.ua