乌克兰法官拒绝释放季莫申科

A judge in Ukraine rejected Monday a request by former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko\'s lawyer to free her from police detention during her trial on abuse of authority while in office.

Ms. Tymoshenko was taken into custody Friday after the judges determined she was in contempt of court.

On Sunday, the administrative court decided to ban mass protests near the Kyiv court where the trial will take place. Security troops also surrounded her supporters near the detention center in Ukraine\'s capital where she is being held.

The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has called on Ukraine to release the former prime minister. A statement issued Saturday also expressed concerns about the application of the rule of law in the Eastern European country.

Ms. Tymoshenko is accused of overstepping her powers in the process of striking a natural gas deal with Russia in 2009.

上星期五，季莫申科因被判藐视法庭而被拘禁。行政法庭星期天决定禁止民众在审理季莫申科案的一个基辅法院附近聚集示威。安全部队也在季莫申科被关押的基辅一个拘留中心附近包围了她的支持者。

在基辅的美国驻乌克兰大使馆呼吁乌克兰释放季莫申科。一份上周六公布的声明也对乌克兰的法治现状表达了忧虑。

季莫申科被控在2009与俄罗斯签订天然气合约的过程中越权。