Brahim Saâdoune
إبراهيم سعدون
Born2000 (age 23–24)
Meknes, Morocco
Allegiance Ukraine
Years of service2021–2022 (Ukraine)
Unit 36th Separate Marine Brigade[1]
Battles/wars

Brahim Saâdoune (Arabic: إبراهيم سعدون, romanized: Ibrāhīm Saʻdūn; born 2000)[lower-alpha 1] is a Moroccan student who joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces as a fighter-volunteer.[2] Saâdoune was captured during the Battle of Volnovakha and sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in what has been described as a "show trial".[3][4]

On September 21, 2022, Saâdoune was released in a prisoner exchange deal mediated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.[5][6][7]

Early life and education

Brahim Saâdoune was born in Meknes, Morocco.[8][9] His father, Tahar, was a veteran of the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie from Safi.[10][11] Tahar had served as head of investigations in Agadir, where Brahim finished primary school before moving to Casablanca.[12][13] He obtained his scientific Baccalaureate in 2018.[14][15]

Saâdoune moved to Ukraine in 2019 and studied Russian at the Poltava University of Economics and Trade.[9] He had decided to study in Ukraine due to the quality of education and cost.[4]

He later studied aeronautical engineering at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute's Institute of Aerospace Technologies.[16][17][2] Saâdoune was allegedly given Ukrainian nationality in 2020 after undergoing a year of military training as a requirement to access aerospace technology.[18][19]

At the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Morocco launched a major repatriation campaign, it was initially planned for Saâdoune to have been repatriated to Morocco through Poland.[20][21]

Military career

In November 2021, Saâdoune signed a three-year contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[9][22] He had joined the army to "fight injustice", as well as to gain military experience.[23][4] Shaun Pinner had helped Saâdoune join the armed forces over Facebook.[4]

In the months before the invasion, Saâdoune was deployed to Mariupol, serving in the 36th Separate Marine Brigade.[9] In the army, he served as a driver and a translator, as he knew Russian, Ukrainian, English, French, Arabic, and Berber.[24][21][20]

After the invasion started, he fought alongside Ukrainian forces in the besieged city of Mariupol.[25]

Capture and trial

Saâdoune surrendered and was later captured by Russian forces on March 12, 2022, during the Battle of Volnovakha.[23][26] An interview with Saâdoune was broadcast on Channel One Russia, where he was portrayed as a mercenary.[1] During the interview, he claimed that he was very scared during his capture.[27]

After he was captured, he was taken to Donetsk and was tried along with two British fighters, Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner.[4] Saâdoune and Pinner plead not guilty to "mercenary" charges, but admitted involvement in fighting "intending to overturn constitutional order".[28][29]

The Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic sentenced the trio to death for mercenarism, trying to overturn constitutional order, and undergoing training to carry out terrorist activities.[30] Their trial has been described as a "show trial".[3]

The day after his sentencing, Saâdoune told Russia Today that he "didn't know what was going to happen", and that he "was ready for anything".[31][32] Saâdoune's lawyer, Yelena Vesnina, said that she did not expect the sentence, and called it "very harsh".[33][34]

While there is a moratorium on the death penalty in Russia, it does not apply in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.[35][28] A moratorium on the death penalty for "foreign mercenaries" was later adopted by the self-proclaimed parliament of the Donetsk Republic.[36]

Reactions

On June 12, Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People's Republic, said that no mercy should be shown to the fighters, saying that "they came to Ukraine to kill civilians for money, that's why I don't see any conditions for any mitigation or modification of the sentence".[37] Natalia Nikonorva, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPR chastised Britain and Morocco and said saying they "do not care at all about the fate of their citizens", reiterating that the two countries have not contacted them.[38][39] The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has said that the death sentence being carried out in their case could be considered as a war crime.[40][41]

Following the trial, Russian TV anchor and propagandist Vladimir Solovyov discussed different ways to kill the trio on his show, Evening with Vladimir Solovyov on Russia-1, with his panel debating whether to shoot, hang, dismember or release them for ransom.[42]

Ukrainian friends of Saâdoune called on the UK to help him get released.[43][44] According to his girlfriend, Brahim's sentence may be a result of trying to "increase his price", however, she does not know what the Russians want in return for him. She last spoke to him on March 27.[24]

On 17 June, the European Court of Human Rights issued an emergency ruling against Russia and Ukraine following a complaint by Saâdoune. The court ordered Russia and Ukraine to ensure the death penalty was not executed. The court stressed that Russia was still obliged to follow the court's rules. The court also said it was considering the issue of jurisdiction, as Brahim was being held by the internationally unrecognized DPR.[45][46] Earlier in June, the Russian State Duma passed a law to end the court's jurisdiction in Russia, but it has not yet been signed into law.[47]

Reactions in Morocco

Tahar Saâdoune speaking at a press conference in Rabat

The Moroccan Embassy in Kyiv released a brief statement saying that Saâdoune "enlisted in the Ukrainian army of his own free will", and is "currently imprisoned by an entity which is recognized neither by the United Nations nor by Morocco".[48][49] The statement claimed that Saâdoune had "Ukrainian citizenship", and he was "captured wearing the uniform of the State Army of Ukraine".[50][49]

The Moroccan-Russian Friendship Association and the Moroccan Committee for Peace and Solidarity appealed directly to Russia to intervene on humanitarian grounds.[51][52] The Moroccan Coalition Against the Death Penalty sent a letter to the Head of Government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs urging the government to intervene.[49]

Saâdoune's father, Tahar, thanked Russian forces for "preserving the life of their son" at a press conference in Rabat.[53][54] During the press conference, he affirmed that Brahim was "a Ukrainian citizen", and denied claims that Brahim was a mercenary.[54] He urged "the Moroccan government, a country that moved a mountain to save Rayan a few months ago, to intervene".[54]

Morocco's National Human Rights Council contacted the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights to "intervene as much as possible to protect the [Saâdoune's] rights".[55][56]

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights provided lawyers to Saâdoune and was planning to observe his appeal, the association elaborated that Saâdoune was a resident and didn't have Ukrainian citizenship.[57][58] The Moroccan Center for Human Rights criticized the country's diplomatic silence on the trial, calling for the country to intervene and send lawyers to help Brahim.[59]

Morocco had adopted a policy of neutrality for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and was absent from UN General Assembly votes regarding the invasion, though Morocco said its decision to not participate in said votes "cannot be the subject of any interpretation in relation to its position of principle concerning the situation between the Russian Federation and Ukraine".[60][61]

On 15 June, Morocco's House of Councillors requested that foreign minister Nasser Bourita attend a government accountability session regarding Saâdoune, but Bourita's office refused.[38]

Saâdoune's sister said local press in Morocco and people on social media had celebrated her brother's sentence, as pro-Russian views are more common in the Middle East and Africa than in Europe.[62][2][63]

Release

Saâdoune (right) reuniting with his family after his release

On September 21, 2022, Saâdoune was released with 9 other detainees held by the Donetsk People's Republic in a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia brokered by Saudi Arabia.[7][64] Saâdoune was in the process of appealing his case, his family had not been previously informed of the prisoner exchange.[65][66] Oligarch Roman Abramovich claimed that he played a "key role" in the prisoner exchange deal.[67]

Saâdoune's father, Tahar, thanked the Saudi authorities "who contributed to the release of Brahim, after King Mohammed VI personally took charge of the case".[68]

Saâdoune arrived in Casablanca and reunited with his family on September 24, 2022, following a medical checkup in Riyadh.[69][70] Saâdoune said that he had "suffered from imprisonment but will recover and get back to studying".[61][71]

Notes

  1. ↑ Berber languages: ⴱⵕⴰⵀⵉⵎ ⵙⵄⴷⵓⵏ, romanized: Bṛahim Sɛdun
    Ukrainian: Брахім Саадун, romanized: Brakhim Saadun
    Russian: Брагим Саадун, romanized: Bragim Saadun

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Zakharova, Olexandra (June 9, 2022). ""DPR" announces execution of three foreigners — Mariupol defenders: What to happen to Azov". The Page. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Kataja, Marika (July 1, 2022). "Sotavangiksi jäänyttä pikkuveljeä uhkaa kuolemantuomio Itä-Ukrainassa – "Hänet on jätetty yksin"". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  3. 1 2 HILL-CAWTHORNE, LAWRENCE (June 14, 2022). "Ukraine: why the 'show trial' of British POWs violates Geneva Conventions". THE CONVERSATION FRANCE. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Roth, Andrew; Sauer, Pjotr (June 11, 2022). "Moroccan sentenced to death is a victim of Russian 'games', friends say". The Guardian.
  5. ↑ "MBS Obtient de Poutine la libération du marocain Saâdoun". Le Desk. September 21, 2022.
  6. ↑ Machloukh, Anass. "Brahim Saadoune libéré grâce à l'entremise de l'Arabie saoudite". L'Opinion (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Reeves, Jay. "Russian separatists release 10, including 2 US veterans". The Washington Post. Associated Press. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  8. ↑ Lukyanov, Alexander (June 13, 2022), Mercenary sentenced to death in the DPR, retrieved September 23, 2022
  9. 1 2 3 4 Kozlowski, Nina (June 10, 2022). "Maroc : qui est Brahim Saadoun, le combattant marocain condamné à mort en Ukraine ?". Jeune Afrique (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Affaire Brahim Saâdoun : Bons baisers de Donetsk". Maroc-Hebdo (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Affaire Brahim Saâdoun : Marocain il est, marocain il reste!". Maroc-Hebdo (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  12. ↑ Rachidi, Khalil. "Nouvelles révélations sur l'étudiant marocain, Brahim Saadoun, arrêté par l'armée russe". Le360. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  13. ↑ "حقائق مغيبة عن الطالب المعتقل بروسيا | جريدة الصباح". Assabah (in Arabic). June 10, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Tahar Saadoun, père de Brahim Saâdoun, se confie à Maroc Hebdo". Maroc-Hebdo (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Libération de Brahim Saâdoun : La famille du jeune remercie le Roi Mohammed VI et tous ceux qui l'ont soutenu". Maroc-Hebdo (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  16. ↑ Aamari, Oussama (June 11, 2022). "Moroccan Man Who Fought With Ukraine Sentenced to Death in Donetsk". Morocco World News.
  17. ↑ El Grari, Hind. "Affaire Saâdoun: Pouchiline affirme que « tout est prêt » pour l'exécution". Le Desk (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  18. ↑ Eljechtimi, Ahmed (June 13, 2022). "Moroccan sentenced to death in Donetsk has Ukrainian nationality and isn't a mercenary, father says". Reuters. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  19. ↑ "U.K. Condemns Death Sentence Handed To Foreign Fighters By Separatist Court In Ukraine". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  20. 1 2 "Ce que l'on sait de l'affaire Brahim Saadoun, le jeune marocain condamné à mort au Donbass". Médias24 (in French). June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  21. 1 2 Balduk, Chiem (June 11, 2022). "Student Brahim wilde Oekraïne beschermen, maar krijgt nu de doodstraf" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Omroep Stichting.
  22. ↑ Гуляева, Шура. ""Он взял с собой на службу детский рюкзак-собачку — талисман, который всегда рядом"". Журнал DOXA (in Russian). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  23. 1 2 Штекель, Михайло (June 10, 2022). "Марокканця і британців, які пішли до ЗСУ, хочуть стратити у Донецьку". Радіо Свобода (in Ukrainian). Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  24. 1 2 "Rosjanie chcą się targować? Dziewczyna skazańca przemówiła". o2 (in Polish). June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  25. ↑ Beraud, Benjamin (June 21, 2022). "Guerre en Ukraine : qui est Brahim Saadoun, ce jeune marocain condamné à mort par les sépartistes pro-russes ?". TV5MONDE (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  26. ↑ "U.K. Condemns Death Sentence Handed To Foreign Fighters By Separatist Court In Ukraine". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. June 11, 2022.
  27. ↑ Aamari, Oussama. "Moroccan Who Fought With Ukraine to Face Trial in Donetsk". Morocco World News. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  28. 1 2 ZULOAGA, J.M. (June 11, 2022). "Brahim Saadoun, el marroquí condenado a muerte por participar en la guerra de Ucrania". La Razón (in Spanish).
  29. ↑ EL-BARAKAH, TARIK (June 27, 2022). "'I want my son back': Moroccan's father pleads with Putin". The Associated Press. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  30. ↑ Filiu, Jean-Pierre (August 1, 2022). "War in Ukraine: The death sentence making Morocco uncomfortable". Le Monde. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  31. ↑ Drissi, Ziad. "Brahim Saadoun, condamné à la peine de mort : "J'étais prêt à tout"". TelQuel (in French). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  32. ↑ Zainabi, Manal. "Affaire Brahim Saadoun : soldat "Brian" ou mercenaire Brahim ?". TelQuel (in French). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  33. ↑ المبارك, محمد. "خلاف مع والده/ شاب تائه/ يعتبر الأمر مجرد لعبة.. محامية إبراهيم سعدون تكشف معطيات مهمة عن موكلها". كيفاش (in Arabic). Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  34. ↑ Saih, Yasmine (June 30, 2022). "Affaire Brahim Saadoun: Son avocate témoigne". Hespress (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  35. ↑ Vasilyeva, Nataliya (June 9, 2022). "British fighters Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner sentenced to death by Russian-backed court". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  36. ↑ Saoudi, Badr (July 11, 2022). "Moratoire sur la condamnation à mort du jeune marocain Brahim Saadoun en Ukraine". Arab News (in French). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  37. ↑ Kilner, James (June 12, 2022). "No mercy for death row British fighters Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, says rebel leader". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  38. 1 2 بخساس, شيماء. "بوريطة يرفض الحضور للبرلمان لتقديم توضيحات حول إبراهيم سعدون المحكوم بالإعدام". اليوم 24 – أخبار اليوم على مدار الساعة (in Arabic). Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  39. ↑ Naanaa, Saloua. "Autorités de Donetsk : "Le Maroc ne nous a pas contactés officiellement" au sujet de Brahim Saadoun". TelQuel (in French). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  40. ↑ Gayle, Phil (June 11, 2022). "Moroccan fighter sentenced to death is 'victim of this war,' friend says". Deutsche Welle.
  41. ↑ Kasraoui, Safaa. "Kind and Open-Minded: Brahim Saadoun's Friends Call on UK To Save Him". Morocco World News. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Conversaţie suprarealistă la televiziunea rusă: "Îi spânzurăm sau îi tăiem?"". Mediafax.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  43. ↑ "UK government urged to aid Moroccan man facing death penalty in Ukraine war". Al Arabiya English. June 12, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  44. ↑ "UK urged to aid Moroccan facing death penalty in Ukraine war". HESPRESS. June 12, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  45. ↑ "European Court grants urgent measures in case of prisoner of war sentenced to death in the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic"". European Court of Human Rights. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  46. ↑ Desai, Shweta. "ECHR orders Russia to prevent execution of Moroccan who fought for Ukraine". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  47. ↑ "Russian State Duma Votes To Quit European Court Of Human Rights". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  48. ↑ "Morocco's Embassy in Kyiv reveals Ibrahim Saadoun was in naval unit, enlisted by free will". HESPRESS. June 13, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  49. 1 2 3 "Affaire Brahim Saadoun: premières réactions du Maroc". Arab News (in French). June 14, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  50. ↑ Bakbach, Soulaimane. "Moroccan public push for Ukraine death sentence citizen's release". Al Jazeera. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  51. ↑ "مطالب بتدخل السلطات في قضية الطالب إبراهيم سعدون". اليوم 24 – أخبار اليوم على مدار الساعة (in Arabic). Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  52. ↑ Saoudi, Badr (June 12, 2022). "Ukraine: Deux ONG marocaines intercèdent auprès de Poutine pour Brahim Saadoun". Arab News (in French). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  53. ↑ "Father of captured Brahim Saadoun thanks Russian forces for 'preserving life' of his son". HESPRESS. June 27, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  54. 1 2 3 Jaouhar, Aymane. "Le père de Brahim Saadoun : "Mon fils ne craint pas la mort"". TelQuel (in French). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  55. ↑ "Affaire Brahim Saadoun : le CNDH entre en jeu". L'Opinion (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  56. ↑ Jaouhar, Aymane. "Affaire Brahim Saadoun : le CNDH écrit à la Russie afin de le sauver de l'exécution". TelQuel (in French). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  57. ↑ "Affaire Brahim Saadoun : un collectif d'avocats marocains suivra le jugement en appel". Médias24 (in French). June 23, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  58. ↑ "AMDH says Brahim Saadoun does not have Ukrainian citizenship, enlists lawyer for his defense". HESPRESS. June 21, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  59. ↑ Oussama, Aamari. "Brahim Saadoun Sentence: CNDH Calls on Morocco to Intervene". Morocco World News. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  60. ↑ Khabbachi, Soufiane. "Maroc : les autorités réagissent à l'affaire Brahim Saadoun". Jeune Afrique (in French). Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  61. 1 2 "Maroc: L'ex-prisonnier de guerre veut sensibiliser à «la lutte du peuple ukrainien»". Arab News (in French). September 25, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  62. ↑ "'He's been betrayed': sister of Moroccan man captured in Ukraine pleads for help". The Guardian. June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  63. ↑ "How Russia is winning the information war in the Middle East". Deutsche Welle. August 26, 2022.
  64. ↑ Sabbagh, Dan (September 23, 2022). "Saudi foreign minister defends role in securing Ukraine prisoner swaps". the Guardian. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  65. ↑ "Russian invaders released Moroccan who was "sentenced" to death". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  66. ↑ Benargane, Yassine. "Ukraine : Le Donetsk prolonge le délai permettant à Brahim Saadoun d'interjeter appel". Yabiladi (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  67. ↑ "Abramovich played 'key part' in release of Britons held by Russian-backed troops". The Times of Israel. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  68. ↑ Jaouhar, Aymane. "Tahar Saadoun : "Le roi Mohammed VI est intervenu auprès du prince héritier saoudien pour libérer mon fils"". TelQuel (in French). Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  69. ↑ "Ukraine-Russie: Brahim Saadoun rentre ce samedi au Maroc". TelQuel (in French). Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  70. ↑ "Libéré grâce à une médiation saoudienne: L'étudiant Brahim Saadoun rentrera bientôt au bercail". Hespress (in French). September 22, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  71. ↑ "Ibrahim Saadoun wishes to shed light on 'Ukrainian people's struggle' after return to Morocco". HESPRESS. September 25, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
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