[JURIST] The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) [official website] on Thursday ended its investigation [press release, PDF] into the health care conditions of incarcerated former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko [personal website; JURIST news archive], finding that the Ukrainian government provided her with adequate care. Tymoshenko is currently facing trial on tax evasion charges but has been unable to attend recently due to health concerns. She previously alleged that prison guards were beating her [press release, in Ukrainian], and refused to be treated [JURIST report] by prison doctors for back problems, believing they were under the direction of political rival President Viktor Yanukovych. The court said that it remained interested in the matter of Tymoshenko’s health and that she may file additional complaints if necessary.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General told reporters that Tymoshenko may face additional criminal charges [JURIST report], including charges relating to the 1996 shooting of lawmaker Yevhen Shcherban and his family. Earlier this month her trial was postponed for the second time [BBC report] at the request of the prosecution after she was again unable to attend due to health issues. The trial was first postponed in April [JURIST report] due to concerns about Tymoshenko’s health. Earlier that month Tymoshenko was returned to prison after being sent to a clinic for medical treatment. She is currently appealing a conviction and seven-year prison sentence [JURIST reports] to the ECHR and has discontinued all appeals [JURIST report] in the Ukraine on that issue. Although her previous conviction was on charges of corruption and abuse of power during her time as prime minister, Tymoshenko is now accused of hiding $165 million of corporate revenue and accumulating $5.8 million through tax fraud while the head of the UESU.