James Scott Rhys Anderson convicted of ‘mercenary actions’ and a ‘terrorist act’, courtroom press service says.
A British man who was captured by Russia whereas preventing for Ukraine has been sentenced to 19 years in jail, a Russian courtroom has stated.
James Scott Rhys Anderson, 22, was convicted of “mercenary actions” and a “terrorist act” after a three-day closed navy trial in Kursk, the courtroom press service for the area stated on Wednesday.
Anderson, who was reportedly captured in November whereas taking part in Ukraine’s cross-border offensive in Kursk, pleaded responsible to the fees towards him, the press service stated.
Beneath the phrases of his sentence, Anderson will spend 5 years in jail earlier than being transferred to a penal colony to serve out the rest of his time period, in line with the press service.
Footage launched by the courtroom confirmed Anderson nodding silently after the ruling was translated for him.
The UK’s International and Commonwealth Workplace condemned Anderson’s sentence on what it described as false expenses.
“Beneath worldwide regulation, prisoners of battle can’t be prosecuted for taking part in hostilities,” a spokesperson stated.
“We demand that Russia respect these obligations, together with these underneath the Geneva Conventions, and cease utilizing prisoners of battle for political and propaganda functions.”
In 2022, a courtroom within the Russian-occupied Donetsk area sentenced two British residents and a Moroccan to dying for performing as overseas mercenaries and partaking in “terrorist” actions.
The three males have been later launched as a part of a prisoner change brokered by Saudi Arabia.
Talking shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, then-Ukrainian International Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated greater than 20,000 folks from 52 international locations had volunteered to combat for Kyiv.
