British POW Family Appeals, "It's Painful to See Appearance on Russian TV"

by Jeon Jinyoung

Published 20 Apr.2022 17:27(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] The British family of Aiden Aslin, who was captured by Russian forces and appeared on Russian state television, expressed that it is painful to watch the footage.

On the 19th (local time), according to The Guardian, Aslin's family issued a statement saying, "It is very distressing to see footage of Aslin being forced to speak and suffering injuries."

They urged, "Using photos and videos of prisoners of war violates the Geneva Conventions and must be stopped immediately." Aslin, being a lawful Ukrainian combatant, should be protected under the Geneva Conventions.

Aslin settled in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, in 2018 and is known to have served in the Ukrainian Marine Corps for about four years.

Last week, he revealed via social media that his unit in Mariupol was surrounded by Russian forces and had no choice but to surrender, and shortly after, a photo of him in handcuffs was released.

The Russian side released a 45-minute video featuring him this week. In the video, when repeatedly asked whether he was speaking under coercion, he answered "No." Then, following the host's leading questions, he repeated Russian propaganda and stated that he was a mercenary and therefore not a lawful combatant.

Aslin's family is in contact with the UK Foreign Office for his release. A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on the day, "We will provide all possible support," and added, "We will urge Russia to treat all prisoners of war in accordance with the laws and conventions of war."