The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Russia not to carry out the death penalty for two British prisoners of war.
The British Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner had joined the Ukrainian armed forces to fight against the Russians. They were sentenced to death by a court in the pro-Russian “People’s Republic” of Donetsk. He ruled that the men were hitmen and therefore could not invoke the Geneva treaties, which regulate the treatment of prisoners of war.
The European Court invokes the so-called interim arrangement† Russia must “do everything to prevent the death penalty being carried out here,” court says in a statement explanation† In addition, Russia must treat the detainees well and give them access to medical care.
The British government previously said it had no contact with Russia about the situations of the two detainees. The British have asked the Ukrainian government in Kyiv to release the men.
The European Court of Human Rights acts as a court for the members of the Council of Europe. Russia was expelled from the Council last March for its invasion of Ukraine. Before that, the country had already started a procedure to leave the organization.
In addition to the two Britons, a Moroccan was also sentenced to death in Donetsk. Because Morocco is not a member of the Council of Europe, the court cannot rule on his situation.
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