OF A POLITICAL LEADER ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD
London, United Kingdom, 8 September, 2011: Professor Paul Wilson, a criminologist and
Forensic Psychologist attached to NGO Humanitad’s team observing the trial of former Ukrainian Prime
Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, said today that the trial had all the hallmarks of a gross miscarriage of justice.
He went as far as saying that if she is convicted, the case could go down in history as one of the worst
cases of a miscarriage of justice inflicted upon a political leader anywhere in the world.
Research Fellow and Honorary Professor Wilson from Bond University in Queensland, Australia, is a
recognized international expert on miscarriages of justice having researched, written and been actively
engaged in exposing wrongful convictions.
“From the information so far available to Humanitad it looks very much as though not only is the
Tymoshenko trial a breach of International Human Rights Conventions but it is also a gross
miscarriage of justice.â€
“It remains to be seen as to whether the investigative phase of the prosecution was carried out fairly or
not,†Professor Wilson said, “but it appears reasonably clear that there are some major problems with the
adjudicative phase of the proceedings against the former Prime Minister.â€
He noted the observation of the Danish Helsinki Committee for Human Rights monitoring four cases,
including the Tymoshenko trial, that they had been left with the impression of prosecutors and judges with
limited understanding for the presumption of innocence and equality of the parties during the trial.
“The Helsinki committee’s report appears to confirm Humanitad delegation leader and former senior UK
crown prosecutor Jerry Prus-Butwilowicz’s observations about the proceedings so far,†said Professor
Wilson. “On the surface a Judge disallowing the vast majority of witnesses called by the defence to give
evidence is a major miscarriage of justice in itself,†he commented. “Unless there were clear legal
reasons to exclude them then how can it be called a fair trial?â€
Professor Wilson added: “The indecent haste of the trial coupled with what appears to be an inadequate
time for Tymoshenko’s legal team to be able to research and respond to the allegations both before the
trial began and during the trial itself, simply reinforces the view that justice has not occurred in her case.
“If these allegations are confirmed by a thorough analysis of the transcripts of her trial then it is hard to
see, if she is convicted, why this will not go down historically as one of the worst cases of a miscarriage
of justice inflicted upon a political leader anywhere in the world. Indeed, it is hard to imagine any appeal
court in industrialised countries not exonerating a person charged with these offences based on the gross
inadequacies of the trial process.â€
