Britain is deeply concerned by death sentences passed down to two British men by a court of the Russian-backed Donetsk People’s Republic and will work to try to secure their release, a spokesman for Boris Johnson says.
“We’re obviously deeply concerned by this. We’ve said continually that prisoners of war shouldn’t be exploited for political purposes,” the spokesman said.
“Under the Geneva convention, prisoners of war are entitled to combatant immunity, and they should not be prosecuted for participation in hostilities.
“So we will continue to work with Ukrainian authorities to try and secure the release of any British national who was serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and who are being held as prisoners of war.”
Aiden Aslin, 28, from Nottinghamshire, Shaun Pinner, 48, from Bedfordshire, and Saaudun Brahim, from Morocco, who were captured earlier in the war, have been given the death sentences by the court, which is not recognised internationally
The men’s families deny they are mercenaries.
Foreign secretary Liz Truss said: “I utterly condemn the sentencing of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine.
“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.”
Russian media outlet RIA Novosti reported that the three would face a firing squad.
Interfax, a Russian news agency, claimed they would be able to appeal against their convictions.
The family of Mr Aslin, who is said to also hold Ukrainian nationality, shared an emotional appeal expressing their hopes for his return to the UK.
“We are currently working with the Ukrainian government and the Foreign Office to try and bring iden home. Aiden is a much-loved man and very much missed, and we hope that he will be released very soon,” they said.
Mr Aslin’s MP, former Tory minister Robert Jenrick, condemned the “trumped-up charges” and said Russia had breached international law.
He told BBC Radio 4’s World At One on Wednesday: “(Mr Aslin) is a British citizen, but who also holds Ukrainian nationality, is married to a Ukrainian, joined the Ukrainian armed forces in the normal way prior to (Vladimir) Putin’s illegal invasion, and has been serving in the armed forces.
“He was taken prisoner by Russian forces and in accordance with international law and the Geneva Convention, he should be being held appropriately and returned to Ukraine at the earliest possible opportunity, possibly through a prisoner exchange.
“Instead of that, Putin’s regime have chosen to put him and another British national, Shaun Pinner, on trial on trumped up charges, no evidence whatsoever. This is, I’m afraid, a completely outrageous breach of international law and it should be condemned.”
He added: “What I hope happens is that a prisoner exchange occurs in the near future. The Russian authorities have chosen to make an example out of these two British nationals and it is, I think, completely shameful.
