British soldiers who were captured by pro-Russian troops after joining the Ukrainian army have been sentenced to death by firing squad.
Two British citizens – including 48-year-old Shaun Pinner and 28-year-old Aiden Aslin – have been sentenced to death for aiding the Ukrainian army after they were captured by pro-Russian separatists during the takeover of Mariupol. Sentenced to death was also Saaudun Brahim, a Moroccan national.
While Russia doesn’t have the death penalty, the trio was found guilty of being “mercenaries” at a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.
Though the court in the pro-Russian Donbas region, which lies in eastern Ukraine, is not internationally recognized, the foreign soldiers were sentenced to death by firing squad for joining and aiding Ukraine in its fight against invading Russia.
The cruel sentences that the prisoners of war are now facing have been condemned internationally with officials accusing the Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine of violating international agreements and committing war crimes.
“Under the Geneva Convention, prisoners of war are entitled to combatant immunity,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said.
“I utterly condemn the sentencing of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine,” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss added.
“They are prisoners of war. This is a sham judgment with absolutely no legitimacy. My thoughts are with the families. We continue to do everything we can to support them.”
While the authorities are scrambling to overthrow the court’s ruling, Aslin’s devastated family pleaded with the government to do everything they can to save the captured British citizens.
“We’ve heard the news from Donetsk and need some time to take everything in. We love Aiden with all our hearts. He and Shaun, as members of Ukrainian armed forces, should be treated with respect just like any other prisoners of war. They are not, and never were, mercenaries,” they said in a statement.
“We hope that this sentence will be overturned and beseech the government’s of the UK and Ukraine to do everything in their power to have them returned to us safely, and soon.
“We can only imagine what they are going through right now. This is a very upsetting development and we ask that our privacy is respected at this time.”
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