Tymoshenko's Daughter Asks U.S. Congress For Help

Yevhenia Tymoshenko

The daughter of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has asked the U.S. Congress to "keep the pressure" on Ukrainian authorities to help free her mother and other political opponents of the government.

Yevhenia Tymoshenko made the appeal on May 17 in a video conference with the U.S. Helsinki Commission.

Speaking from Kyiv, she said she was still "very afraid" for her mother's life.

Yulia Tymoshenko is currently hospitalized for treatment of a chronic back problem.

She has also complained she had been mistreated by her guards and last month went on a nearly three-week hunger strike.

She was sentenced in October to seven years in prison for abuse of office in relation to gas deals she signed with Russia while in office.

She denies wrongdoing.

Based on reporting by dpa and AFP