Ukraine's Tymoshenko to be allowed to see doctors outside jail

Jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko will be allowed to see doctors outside prison, President Viktor Yanukovych said on Tuesday, in a reversal of a hard line position against his political opponent, DPA reported.

The ex-prime minister will receive treatment at medical centres in the capital Kiev because the prison she is being held at cannot provide a sufficiently high level of care, Yanukovych said, speaking at a Kiev press conference.

Tymoshenko should be given "everything necessary for proper treatment," and prison officials have received his instructions to do so, Yanukovych said.

One of the leaders of Ukraine's 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution, Tymoshenko was sentenced in October to seven years in jail on abuse of power charges.


Tymoshenko's legal team has said she is suffering from deteriorating health and, though now being questioned by prosecutors on new tax evasion charges, she is being allowed access neither to lawyers nor non-prison doctors.

She is reportedly is unable to walk without assistance.

Government spokesmen have said they believe Tymoshenko has a moderate back injury but that are not sure of its extent, because she is not allowing prison doctors to examine her.