Blinken Terms Death Sentence by Pro-Russian Court As 'Sham Trial'

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Thursday, slammed the death sentence verdict by a pro-Russian court for three foreign nationals as a "sham" judgment.

Taking to Twitter, Blinken expressed "grave concern" over the "unlawful trial" of two British nationals and one Moroccan nation fighting in the territorial defense units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

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In a stern warning, Blinken called on Russia and its "proxies" to adhere to the international order, including human rights and the protection of prisoners of war.

The remarks came after two British men and a Moroccan national were sentenced to death by pro-Russia officials after they were captured while fighting with the Ukrainian army in Mariupol,

A court in Russian-controlled east Ukraine convicted 28-year-old Aiden Aslin, from Newark, 48-year-old Shaun Pinner, from Watford, and Saaudun Brahim on charges of “terrorism”.

The two Britons indicated that they were serving in the Ukrainian marines, making them active-duty soldiers who should be protected by the Geneva conventions on prisoners of war.

Nevertheless, Russian state media has claimed that they are mercenaries, and the court has convicted them on the charge of “being a mercenary”. The pro-Russian officials claimed the men’s actions had “led to the deaths and injury of civilians, as well as damage to civilian and social infrastructure”.

UK foreign secretary, Liz Truss, said: “I utterly condemn the sentencing of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner held by Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine.”

“They are prisoners of war. This is a sham judgment with absolutely no legitimacy … my thoughts are with the families. We continue to do everything we can to support them," Truss added.