Two Britons and a Moroccan captured by Russian troops were sentenced to death on Thursday June 9 by the justice of the separatist region of Donetsk. They are accused of being mercenaries. Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner fought alongside the Ukrainian army.
With our correspondent in London, Marie Boeda
They are neither terrorists nor mercenaries, their families claim. Downing Street said to himself ” gravely concerned “. ” We repeat that prisoners of war should not be exploited for political reasons said a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson. These men should not be prosecuted because they are prisoners of war.
Under the Treaty of Geneva, they benefit from the immunity of the combatant, recall the British authorities.
” This is a flagrant violation of international law “, reacted the conservative and former minister Robert Jenrick, who believes that the Russian ambassador must be summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ” These individuals must be released immediately. This is a show trial. We shouldn’t give it a shred of credibility, it’s just the latest disgusting act of the regime. Vladimir Poutine. Russia can’t treat British citizens this way and get away with it “, he added.
Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, had been fighting in the Ukrainian army for four years, Kyiv confirms. They were captured in Mariupol last April.
Convicts now have a month to appeal and if it is rejected they will be executed. The three defendants will appeal “, specified the lawyer of one of the three men, Pavel Kossovan, with the Russian agency TASS. The court also explained to the three convicts that they could also ask for a pardon, adds the news agency.