Captured British fighters in Ukraine sentenced to death
A court in a Russian-backed region of Ukraine has issued the death penalty to two British fighters and one from Morocco who were captured in Ukraine, Russian state media has said.
Two Britons and a Moroccan man that were captured by Russian forces in Ukraine have been sentenced to death, the Russian-owned news agency RIA Novosti has reported.
Earlier this week, the former Royal Anglian soldier Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin were filmed in what appeared to be a court after being held in Donetsk.
Watch: Russia releases footage of two Britons caught fighting with Ukraine (Credit: Zvezdanews).
Aiden Aslin, 28, from Nottinghamshire, Shaun Pinner, 48, from Bedfordshire, and a third man, Moroccan national Saaudun Brahim, appeared in a not internationally recognised court in the Donetsk People's Republic, which is held by pro-Russian rebels.
The British men are serving members of Ukraine's armed forces and the UK has made clear that they are prisoners of war entitled to immunity and should not face prosecution for taking part in hostilities.
On Telegram, RIA News said: "The Supreme Court of the DPR passed the first sentence on mercenaries - the British Aiden Aslin and Sean Pinner and the Moroccan Saadun Brahim were sentenced to death, RIA Novosti correspondent reports from the courtroom."
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said she "utterly condemned" the sentencing, going to describe it as a "sham judgment with absolutely no legitimacy".
The Foreign Secretary tweeted: "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."
The UK government has said it is "deeply concerned" over the death sentences given to Mr Aslin and Mr Pinner.
A No 10 spokesman said: "We are obviously deeply concerned by this. We have said continually that prisoners of war shouldn't be exploited for political purposes.
"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 the Ukrainian authorities to try to secure the release of any British nationals who were serving in the Ukrainian armed forces and who are being held as prisoners of war."
Mr Aslin's family in a statement, released through the Foreign Office on Tuesday: "We, the family of Aiden Aslin, wish to ask for privacy at this time from the media.
"This is a very sensitive and emotional time for our family, and we would like to say thank you to all that have supported us.
"We are currently working with the Ukrainian government and the Foreign Office to try and bring Aiden home.
"Aiden is a much-loved man and very much missed, and we hope that he will be released very soon."
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