Lawyer Of Former Ukraine PM Yulia Tymoshenko 'Faces Criminal Charges'

KIEV, Ukraine -- The senior lawyer acting for jailed former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko says he is under criminal investigation and fears imminent arrest. Serhiy Vlasenko told reporters on Monday that he had been accused of car theft, robbery and failing to obey a court ruling stemming from his divorce several years ago. Vlasenko dismissed all the accusations and claimed they were part of a campaign by Tymoshenko's long-time political foe, President Viktor Yanukovych, to leave Tymoshenko in jail without a lawyer. Ukrainian authorities stepped up their legal campaign against Tymoshenko last week, accusing her of organising the murder of a businessman nearly 20 years ago. She is serving a seven-year prison term on charges of abuse of office, a sentence that has been condemned by the west as politically motivated.