Russian attack Two Britons and one Moroccan sentenced to death in Donetsk for fighting on Ukrainian side

Abroad|The Russian attack

Donetsk The Supreme Court of the “People’s Republic” on Thursday sentenced three people to death for foreign men who have fought on the Ukrainian side against Russia.

Two British men and one Moroccan were sentenced to death. According to the Russian news agency Tassi, the men intend to appeal the verdict.

The Guardian according to observers, the trials were considered demonstrative and the charges fictitious. The intention has been to imitate the war crimes trials against the Russians in Kiev.

British men have said they served in the Ukrainian Marines. They should therefore be treated in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention relating to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. In Russian sources, they have been described as mercenaries.

“They are prisoners of war. This is a sham judgment with no justification. My thoughts are [tuomittujen] with families. We will do everything we can to support them, ”said the British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says.

Russia is believed to be able to use men as a token in the exchange of prisoners.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson expressed concern about the convictions through a spokesman.

“We are deeply concerned. We have consistently said that prisoners of war should not be used for political purposes. “

Ukraine public prosecutor Iryna Venediktova characterizes the verdict as a “disgrace and mockery” of international human rights. He also said men should be treated as prisoners of war.

“Russia has once again shown how alienated it is from the rule-based system and its blatant indifference to the rule of law,” Venediktova said in a statement. To the BBC.

According to Venediktova, Ukraine has launched an investigation to bring those responsible to justice.