Court refuses to recall judge in Tymoshenko trial

A court in Kiev on Thursday rejected a bid by former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko to recall the presiding judge in her trial on abuse of office charges. "Judge Rodion Kireyev is fully dependent on the Supreme Council of justice, the presidential administration and the president himself," Tymoshenko said in her motion. She also said Kireyev had been a judge for only two years and "is not experienced enough to preside in such cases." The opposition leader, charged with abuse of power for signing a "disadvantageous" gas deal with Russia in 2009, was ordered to leave the courtroom during the previous session on Wednesday for insulting the judge by describing him as "non-human."