Mr Yanukovych is already talking of changing the law to decriminalise Ms Tymoshenko's alleged offence.

ECONOMIST: Ukraine and the West

He wants legislatures, not judges, to decide whether to decriminalise things like abortion, homosexual conduct or assisted suicide.

ECONOMIST: The Supreme Court

Prof Savage added that ministers should be debating whether to decriminalise abortion altogether.

BBC: Abortion law: David Cameron has 'no plans' for new rules

"We were one of the last European countries to decriminalise suicide - we were way behind our European counterparts, " Dr Simone says.

BBC: When suicide was illegal

She is a traditionalist who opposes efforts to decriminalise adultery.

ECONOMIST: Turkey��s other half

Mr Yanukovich could yet pardon Ms Tymoshenko, or decriminalise the offence with which she has been charged (overstepping her authority in a gas deal with Russia she agreed as prime minister in 2009).

ECONOMIST: A country caught precariously between east and west

"In a free vote on the issue on 7 July, the House of Lords rejected an attempt to decriminalise assisted suicide in circumstances where terminally ill people are helped to travel to countries where assisting dying is lawful, " he said.

BBC: MS woman wins right-to-die fight