Ukraine's energy minister called as witness in Tymoshenko case

A Ukrainian court has satisfied a motion by the prosecutors in the case against the country's former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and summoned Energy Minister Yuriy Boiko to testify as witness. Tymoshenko was detained on August 5. She is accused of damaging Ukraine's national interests by signing "disadvantageous" gas supply deals with Russia as prime minister in 2009 and faces up to 10 years in prison. Tymoshenko lawyers have requested that several former members from the cabinet be summoned as witnesses, but this petition was declined. Currently Ukraine's leading opposition figure, Tymoshenko has denied all the charges against her, saying they are politically motivated. On Monday, the court once again turned down an appeal from Tymoshenko's lawyers against the court ruling to take her in custody.