LONDON (AFP) – The household of a captured British man combating in Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday (April 20) of breaking the Geneva Convention after it broadcast a “distressing” video of him.
Russian state TV aired a video on Monday of Mr Aiden Aslin and one other captured British fighter recognized as Mr Shaun Pinner asking to be exchanged for Mr Viktor Medvedchuk, a rich Ukrainian businessman near President Vladimir Putin.
“The video of Aiden speaking under duress and having clearly suffered physical injuries is deeply distressing,” Aslin’s household stated in an announcement launched by his native MP Robert Jenrick.
“Using images and videos of prisoners of war is in contravention of the Geneva Convention and must stop.”
The assertion stated the household was in contact with the British Foreign Office “to ensure the Russian authorities meet their obligations to prisoners of war under international law”.
It added that it was searching for “to secure the release of Aiden and Shaun”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised MPs on Wednesday: “I hope that he was treated with care and compassion.”
He additionally stated he “thoroughly” echoed Mr Jenrick’s evaluation that the video represented “a flagrant breach of the Geneva Convention” and that “treating any prisoner of war in this manner is illegal”.
Mr Aslin moved to Ukraine in 2018 and joined the Ukrainian Marines round 4 years in the past.
He was captured final week earlier than showing within the video, trying haggard.
Along with Mr Pinner, he appealed for a prisoner swop with Putin ally Medvedchuk, who was not too long ago arrested in Ukraine.
