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Two British citizens (Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner) and a Moroccan one (Saadun Ibrahim) who served in the Ukrainian armed forces and fought for Kyiv in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) have reportedly been sentenced to death.
On the 9th of June, the three men were found guilty of acting as mercenaries and attempting to seize power by force in the DPR. They were also accused of undergoing training in order to carry out terrorist activities.
Under the laws of the DPR (which is actually Eastern Ukraine under Russian occupation), the forcible seizure of power carries a penalty of between 12 and 20 years in prison, but it can be escalated to capital punishment in these times of war. In the meantime, being an active mercenary is punishable by a jail sentence of three to seven years.
Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Saadun Ibrahim faced several criminal charges. They pleaded guilty to “undergoing training for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activities” and attempting to forcefully topple the government in Donetsk but denied being mercenaries hired by the authorities of Kyiv.
The convicted men will have the opportunity to appeal the decision in court, which they intend to do. They may also request a pardon from the head of the DPR. If they win the appeal, capital punishment could be reduced to up to 25 years in prison. In accordance with the DPR legislation, death penalties are carried out by a firing squad.
The three fighters were captured in the Mariupol, a port city where clashes opposing pro-Moscow and pro-Kyiv forces have been taking place since late February.
Authorities in the DPR have announced that the three men are regarded as mercenaries, which would justify – according to the Moscow-backed DPR authorities – that they are not granted the same privileges as regular soldiers under international law.
Image: YouTube (Sky News)
Author: Sébastien Meuwissen
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