The UK government ministers have decided to boycott England’s Euro 2012 quarter-final on Sunday due to concerns over human rights in Ukraine.
The sports minister, Hugh Robertson, will not travel to the game on Sunday. The Foreign office have defended the decision given the questionable justice and human rights record in Ukraine.
When asked why ministers would not be there, a Downing Street spokeswoman said,
"it reflects the ministers busy schedules ahead of the Olympics and widespread concerns about selective justice and the rule of law in Ukraine."
The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, commented on the matter, stating that the UK government did not want it’s backing of the team to be interpreted as,
"giving political support to some things which have been happening in Ukraine which we don’t agree with".
Ukraine have been heavily criticised about the treatment of the jailed opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko. Tymoshenko claims that her imprisonment, for alleged corruption, is an act of political revenge by the current president of Ukraine. Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years last October.
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