London has expressed its apparent displeasure following the decision by a pro-Russian court in Donetsk to sentence to death three foreign fighters who fought alongside Ukraine, including two Britons. Britain's Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, specifically condemned the death sentences handed down to two Britons by a court in the Russian-backed "Donetsk People's Republic", calling it a "travesty of justice".
"I totally condemn the sentencing of Aiden Ashlyn and Sean Pinner, who are being held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine," he wrote on Twitter. "They are prisoners of war. This is a bogus court decision with absolutely no legitimacy."
For his part, Prime Minister's spokesman Boris Johnson said London is deeply concerned about the death sentences handed down to the two Britons, noting that it will work to secure their release.
"Obviously we are deeply concerned about this. We have stated repeatedly that prisoners of war should not be exploited for political purposes," the spokesman told reporters."
"Under the Geneva Convention, prisoners of war are entitled to soldier's immunity and should not be prosecuted for taking part in hostilities. We will therefore continue to work with the Ukrainian authorities to secure the release of any British nationals who served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and who are being held as prisoners of war," he added.
Three foreigners who fought on Ukraine's side
[/B]The "Supreme Court" of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) was sentenced to death by the Donetsk pro-Russian court, sentenced to death three foreigners, two Britons and a Moroccan, who fought on the side of Ukraine, according to the Russian newspaper website RBK, and Reuters quoted by Ria Novosti.
They are British Sean Pinner and Aiden Ashlyn and Moroccan Saadoun Brahim.
They were charged with acting as mercenaries (under Article 440 of the DRC Criminal Code) and violent seizure of power by a group of persons (under Articles 32 and 323 of the DRC Criminal Code). The latter article provides for the death penalty, since the crime was allegedly committed in a time of war.
The three-day trial was a travesty, reports the Daily Mail. The defendants, who were in a cage, "admitted" that they were "training to carry out terrorist acts". Five witnesses in the case did not even appear in court.
Aiden Ashlyn has been serving in the 36th Marine Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2018, the website Mediazona notes. He stayed in Ukraine because of his fiancée. According to his Twitter posts, he was captured in mid-April. Also at that time in the "Donetsk People's Republic" was his friend, 48-year-old Sean Pinner former soldier of the Royal British Order who was in the same brigade. Pinner's relatives pointed out that both Pinner and Ashlyn were officially serving in the Ukrainian military under the law and were not mercenaries.
21-year-old Brahim Saadun, arrived in Ukraine in 2019, where he was studying at the Faculty of Aerodynamic and Space Technologies at the Kiev Polytechnic University. A year ago he abandoned his studies and went to serve under contract also in the 36th Marine Brigade. He was captured during fighting in the town of Volnovaha.
All three men have said they will appeal, Reuters reported citing the Russian TASS agency. The appeal must be lodged within a month of the verdict.
The court did not mention a third British man, 35-year-old Andrew Hill, who surrendered to Russian forces, who have threatened him with the death penalty. Hill, as noted by the Daily Mail, is the father of four children from Plymouth.
Source: protothema.gr /With information from APE-MPE
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