Magyar
Last week, two British and a Moroccan soldier fighting on the Ukrainian side were sentenced to death in the Donetsk separatist area. Since then, the British have been trying their best to free their citizens, but the procedure is complicated by the need to submit a request for the release of prisoners to the Donetsk People’s Republic, which until now has not been recognized as an independent state.
Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Brahim Saadount were captured by the Russian army at Mariupol and were handed over to judiciature of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The separatist “state’s” impromptu justice department branded the three soldiers as mercenaries and sentenced them to death immediately for terrorist offences committed on their territory. The Russian state news agency reported on Wednesday that the three men had pleaded guilty.
However, the British side claims that the procedure violated international law on several points, since the two British men were not considered mercenaries: both of them lived in Ukraine for many years, Pinner even started a family there. At the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, the two men entered the war as professional soldiers of the Ukrainian navy. They are therefore protected by the Geneva Convention, according to which prisoners of war are entitled to immunity of combatants and cannot be prosecuted for participating in a war conflict.
Boris Johnson personally assured the family of British soldiers that they would do everything possible to have the two men released. But British hands are tied by the fact that if they submit a request to the Donetsk People’s Republic about the prisoners, it would effectively recognize the legitimacy of the separatist state. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said the separatist authorities were aware of the irreparable consequences for them and the Russians if they took the wrong step in the case of the three soldiers, and said with confidence that the three men would be returned home sooner or later.
In the Pulzus application, we asked our users what England should do in this situation: protect its citizens even at the cost of recognizing a breakaway state, or not to appeal the case.
33% of respondents said neither was the right decision, while 32% think the UK should appeal to free Aslin and Pinner.
What do you think would be the right decision?
Download the Pulzus application, take part in our surveys, and we will reward you for it! For your answers, you get Pulzus points you can exchange for valuable prizes.
Be an influencer, share your opinion today!
Copyright © 2021 PULZUS. All Rights Reserved