The West hailed President Viktor Yanukovych’s pardon on April 7 of ex-Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko and ex-Ecology Minister Hryhoriy Filipchuk.
His order set them free immediately.
But the pardons didn’t go far
enough for the European Union and United States, who still want
Yanukovych to release imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. The
abuse-of-office convictions against the three allies are seen in the
West as political persecution.
