Is Tymoshenko guilty or a victim?

On Oct 11, 2011, former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko was convicted of exceeding her powers while in office by ordering state energy company Naftogaz to sign a gas deal with Russia in 2009. A court sentenced Tymoshenko to seven years in prison, asked her to pay back $186 million lost by the state energy company because of the deal and banned her from political office for three years, with implications for her role in next year's parliamentary election.

Leaders of major powers and organizations, and some Western celebrities have condemned the current Ukrainian authorities for arresting and imprisoning a political leader and former prime minister. Perceiving the trial and sentence as a political move deliberately targeting the opposition with selective justice, the Western community has been reiterating the significance of justice, transparency and independent judicial procedure in Ukraine and urged the Ukrainian government to stick to fair play.

Russia, too, has urged Ukraine to conduct a fair and unbiased trial for Tymoshenko, saying that the 2009 gas contract is in strict compliance with the laws of Ukraine and Russia, as well as international laws.