IBA and IBAHRI strongly condemn the illegal ‘trial’ and sentencing to death of Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Brahim Saaudun

The International Bar Association (IBA) – the global voice of the legal profession and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) strongly condemn the ‘trial’ and sentencing to death of three men fighting on the Ukrainian side of the Russian-Ukrainian war who were captured by Russian forces. The IBA and IBAHRI call on Russia to immediately quash the illegal ‘sentences’.

Two British nationals Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner together with Moroccan national Brahim Saaudun were accused by Russia of mercenaryism, terrorism and actions aimed at the violent seizure of power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the Donetsk People's Republic and sentenced to death by firing squad on 9 June 2022.

The IBA and IBAHRI state: The ‘trial’ and ‘sentencing’ of Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Brahim Saaudun is illegal under international law for the following reasons.

For all of the above reasons, particularly as neither Russian nor Ukrainian law allows the death penalty, the IBA and IBAHRI conclude that any implementation of the ‘pronounced’ death penalty will be an obvious case of plain murder of Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner and Brahim Saaudun and deemed an international war crime. Any perpetrators (anyone engaged in the so-called DPR ‘court’ and anyone who conspired to execute this decision) will be regarded as a war criminal.

The IBA offers legal support to the British and Moroccan Governments should they wish to utilise.

Anne Ramberg Dr Jur hc IBAHRI Co-Chair, immediate past Secretary General of the Swedish Bar Association

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