A Ukrainian court has delayed the trial of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who is on a hunger strike, and set a new trial date for November 23.

Tuesday’s move was the latest in a series of delays for the trial, in which Tymoshenko is defending against charges of tax evasion and embezzlement.

Tymoshenko, who is already serving a seven-year prison term for abuse of office, says the charges are politically motivated, the results of President Viktor Yanukovych’s efforts to eliminate her as a political rival.

The opposition leader and former prime minister began her hunger strike on October 29 to protest what she says were rigged results of Ukraine’s parliamentary elections a day earlier. International election observers and the U.S. government have also criticized the vote.

Ukraine’s parliament has called for a new election in five disputed districts. Opposition parties rejected a new vote in the five constituencies and insist on recounting of votes in 13 districts, where they claim the results were skewed in favor of the ruling party.

Source: VOA