The DPR High Court sentenced to death British nationals Sean Pinner and Aiden Aslin, and Moroccan Saadoun Brahim, who were accused of participating in hostilities on the Ukrainian side as mercenaries.
“On the basis of the aggregate of the crimes, Aslin Aiden, Pinner Sean and Saadun Brahim were finally sentenced to death,” the verdict said.
Under DPR laws, convicts can be shot.
“According to the results of the analysis of the total evidence examined at the court session, the court concludes that the crimes of Aslin Aiden, Pinner Sean and Saadun Brahim have been proven,” the decision said.
The aliens were found guilty of mercenary service and “acting in actions aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the DPR”. As the head of the judicial chamber put it, the sentence was given “according to the sum of the crimes.”
The decision can be appealed within one month.
In addition, according to the DPR constitution, the convicted person has the right to petition for amnesty, which was adopted by the head of the republic, namely Denis Pushilin. Through amnesty, the death penalty can be replaced by life imprisonment or 25 years in prison.
“In making the decision, the court was guided not only by the prescribed norms and rules, but also by the main, unshakable principle – justice. It was he who made it possible to make this difficult and difficult decision to impose an exceptional penal measure in the form of the death penalty on convicts, ”the statement said.
The court also stated that Sean Pinner was recognized as a terrorist in the UK.
“Pinner Sean was wanted in the UK for participating in the conflicts in Iraq and Syria and was considered a terrorist in the UK. In this regard, Pinner Sean came to the territory of Ukraine to take part in hostilities, ”the statement said.
What are foreigners accused of?
On June 6, the DPR High Court began considering the case of two Britons and a Moroccan on the merits, and their cases began on June 7.
On June 5, the Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor announced that they had completed the investigation and, as a result of the statements taken from the foreigners, they determined that the crimes under Part 2 of Art had been committed. 34 of the DPR Criminal Code “Committing a crime by a group of people”, art. 323 of the DPR Penal Code “The seizure of power or the violent hold of power” and Art. 430 of the DPR Penal Code “Mercenary”.
In the DPR the de facto permissible death penalty is provided for these crimes in wartime conditions. There is no moratorium on this measure.
According to the investigation, the defendants participated in hostilities on the Ukrainian side “on the forced seizure of power in the DPR” for a reward.
DPR head Denis Pushilin described the decision as a “logical conclusion” of the case.
The aliens pleaded guilty under the articles on education for terrorist activities. Pinner and Brahim were also found guilty of acts aimed at seizing power. At the same time, they claim that they are not mercenaries in the armed conflict with Ukraine.
Decision will be appealed
Foreigners sentenced to death intend to appeal the death penalty.
“The desire of all three defendants is to appeal against this decision because they were not ready to hear about the death penalty imposed on them today. [меры]that is the death penalty,” said Pavel Kosovan, one of the defendants’ lawyers.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss “categorically condemned” the sentence given to prisoners of war.
“This is an absolutely unenforceable, fictitious judgment. My thoughts are with the families. We continue to do our best to support them,” he said.
In London, they pledged to continue working with the Ukrainian authorities to ensure the release of “any British national serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and held as a prisoner of war”.
Prior to the decision, Dominic Raab, head of the UK Department of Justice, said that London plans to file all necessary complaints against the DPR court’s decision. According to him, the UK expects its citizens to respect the norms of international humanitarian law.
“We guarantee that we will present all complaints. “I know that the British Foreign Office will ensure that these applications are made error-free,” he said.
The minister did not explain how this would happen. Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian presidency, previously emphasized that if London decides to appeal the decision, the question of de facto recognition of the legitimacy of the DPR officials may arise.
On April 20, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Russia to treat prisoners of war with compassion. According to him, Pinner and Aslin were not mercenaries, but members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The head of government noted that the British authorities were opposed to the participation of the subjects of the kingdom in the hostilities in Ukraine.
What is known about the convicts
Sean Pinner, 48, stated that he was working as a trainer for the Ukrainian armed forces during the investigation. The Briton was captured in Mariupol in April with the troops of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the Zvezda TV channel, 27-year-old Aslin was among the Marine Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who “voluntarily laid down their weapons” in Mariupol. Aslin said he was fighting “on the front lines”.
They have been serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2018. Sean Pinner and Aiden Aslin were reported by Sky News in January when the West only discussed Russia’s military preparations. Then Pinner said that he lives in Mariupol and is married to a Ukrainian. He claimed he was ready to defend “the city that adopted him” if necessary. Aiden Aslin also said that he has a house and a fiancee in Ukraine.
Brahim Saadoun said that in December 2021 he signed a three-year contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as a sailor in the 36th Marine Brigade. Moroccan returned to Ukraine in 2019 to study at Poltava University of Economics and Commerce. Then he decided to join the Ukrainian army. According to him, he was interested in “gaining combat experience.” The Moroccan surrendered at Volnovakha in March.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that “mercenaries arriving in Ukraine are not combatants, the best thing that awaits them is a long prison sentence.”