The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Moscow to protect a Moroccan man sentenced to death by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.
The Moroccan was convicted for being a foreign fighter.
In an interim measure, the court asked the Russian authorities to ensure that the death sentence imposed by the court of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic was not carried out.
Furthermore, adequate detention conditions and medical care would have to be guaranteed.
Within two weeks, Russia should inform the court in Strasbourg about the steps it had taken, the court said on Friday.
A few days ago, however, Russia declared that it no longer wanted to abide by the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.
According to the court, interim measures were binding and are only issued rarely and in cases of imminent danger of irreparable harm.
The Moroccan man appealed to the Human Rights Court through his legal adviser after he was sentenced to death along with two British citizens on June 9.
The men had joined Ukrainian forces in the fight against Russia.
The Moroccan came to study in Kiev in 2019, according to court documents.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had sharply criticised the three death sentences.
Foreigners in the Ukrainian army are regular soldiers and must be treated as such, ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said that they have the rights of prisoners of war.
Russia has a moratorium on the death penalty, but it does not apply to the Moscow-backed separatist areas of Ukraine.
According to reports, the executions could be carried out by firing squad.
Russian officials had stated that they regarded foreigners fighting for Ukraine as mercenaries and, therefore, international laws protecting prisoners of war did not apply.(dpa/NAN)
