Russia sentenced one Moroccan and two Britons to death

A Moroccan and two British men serving in the Ukrainian army have been sentenced to death by Russian authorities. Here is the story of an investigation that has been reacting to the world since yesterday.

A Moroccan and two British men have been sentenced to death after a three-day trial, Reuters reports. According to international media, this is 21-year-old Moroccan student Brahim Sadun in Ukraine and two British nationals, Aidan Aslin and Shawn, aged 28 and 48, respectively.

During the trial, all three were imprisoned in black bars, guarded by masked soldiers wearing pro-Russian “Z” weapons, and asked to stand while the verdict was read to them, the show shows. The video of the courtroom was released by the RIA Novosti news agency.

According to Reuters, the emergency investigation took place mostly behind closed doors. Within 24 hours of the verdict being announced, Sadon confessed to the crime after a series of acts aimed at seizing power, according to a video shared in court by the RIA Novosti news agency. Aslin appears to have pleaded guilty to the charges involving weapons and ammunition.

⁇ The evidence presented in this case allowed the court to give a verdict of guilt, not to mention the fact that all defendants pleaded guilty in all numbers, without exception. Judge Alexander Nichols told reporters after handing down his verdict.

⁇ In rendering judgment, the court was guided not only by the prescribed terms and conditions, but also by the most important and unshakable principle of justice. This made it possible to make this complex and difficult decision to use exceptional action. Sentence in the form of the death penalty “, He added.

All three were captured by Russian forces and charged with being foreign mercenaries involved in “terrorist” activities. According to the Politico electronic newspaper, Sadun was captured in March in Volnovoka, south of Donetsk, while the two British captured in April in the southeastern city of Mariupol.

In the Donetsk People’s Republic, a territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia, a court that has not been recognized by the international community has convicted them, the same evidence adds. The court said they have one month to appeal and could benefit from the reduced sentence. Otherwise, they risk being killed by gunfire.

According to the British media, Saadoun, Aslin and Pinner would have been active service soldiers under a regular contract with the Ukrainian military, so they should be protected by the Geneva Conventions on Prisoners of War.

However, Russia has turned the issue into a tool for pressure and negotiation to release its detained soldiers in Ukraine and in Kiev. Politico reports that Russian envoys in Donetsk pushed the UK and Ukraine a few weeks before the trial to hold talks with Aslin and later on the transfer of prisoners to pro-Kremlin politician Victor Medvetsk, who is being held in Kyiv. .

Britain calls for decision on tribunal ” Imaginary judgment “For his part, Foreign Minister Lis Truss condemned the court decision.” I strongly condemn the verdict against Aidan Aslin and Shawn later arrested by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine. They are prisoners of war. This is an imaginary judgment that has no legal character“, He wrote on Twitter.

To date, Moroccan authorities have not yet commented on the case of Brahim Sadun.

(With agencies)