The families of British citizens Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, who were sentenced to death in Ukraine yesterday in the “Donetsk People’s Republic” controlled by pro-Russian separatists and not recognized by the international community, called for urgent medical and legal assistance. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will discuss the issue today during a meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmitro Kuleba.
Aslin and Pinner, who had fought in the Ukrainian army since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24, were tried together with Moroccan citizen Saadun Brahim.
Donetsk is controlled by pro-Russian separatists but is Ukrainian territory under international law. Therefore, the court is not considered legitimate in the international arena.
Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that for several years, three members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have all been convicted of being “mercenaries”, seeking to seize power using violence, and “training for terrorist attacks”.
According to Tass, another Russian news agency, lawyers for those sentenced to death said their clients would like to appeal.
Both UK government officials and Ukraine’s Chief Prosecutor Irina Venicetova say the decision violates the Geneva Convention.
Venicetova emphasized that the punishment to be given to three prisoners of war may only be to prevent them from participating in the war again, and that the sentence given violates international human rights and law.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss called the death penalty a “so-called court order that has no legitimacy” and said the British government is doing everything it can to support the families of its citizens.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba Kuleba said, “We will continue to make every effort to release everyone who defends our countries.”
British nationals Aiden Aslin, 28, from Nottinghamshire, and Shaun Pinner, 48, from Bedfordshire, have been living in Ukraine since 2018. Aslin’s fiancee is Ukrainian and has dual citizenship. Pinner is married to a Ukrainian man. Their families still live in England.
Aslin and Pinner were captured in April in Mariupol, which was the scene of fierce fighting.
Robert Jenrick, MP from Newark, where Aslin lives in England, told BBC Radio that the sentence was in violation of the Geneva Convention, and that he wanted these people to return to their homes “probably through an exchange of criminals”. However, Jenrick noted that Russia does not appear to be in any rush to speed up the criminal exchange process.
Richard Fuller, MP from North Bedford, where Pinner’s parents live, said the family is very worried. She stated that Pinner’s mother’s priority was for both of them to have decent health care and access to the Red Cross and independent legal support.
Fuller also stressed that Russia must acknowledge that “Shaun and Aiden are prisoners of war as members of the Ukrainian army”.
According to England, Aslin and Pinner are members of the army and have immunity.
In the statement made by the Prime Ministry in the UK, it was emphasized that there was concern for two British citizens and that the rights of prisoners of war were protected by the Geneva Convention:
“We will work with the Ukrainian authorities to strive for the release of all British citizens of the Ukrainian army held as prisoners of war.”