First such sentence: Czech Republic convicts volunteer who fought for Ukraine for theft in war zone

A Prague court has sentenced a former Czech soldier and volunteer in the Russian-Ukrainian war, Filip Siman, to seven years in prison for robbery.

Here's What We Know

Filip Siman was found guilty of theft in the war zone in Ukraine. Prosecutor Martin Bilyi noted that, to his knowledge, Seaman's case was the first in which a volunteer was convicted.

The verdict has not yet entered into force, and the defendant himself tried to justify himself, claiming, among other things, that he had acted in accordance with the orders of his command.

The Chief Judge of the Prague Municipal Court, Hana Krestinova, stated that "the defendant was found guilty on the basis of video recordings he made in Ukraine and on the basis of eyewitness testimony".

The former soldier arrived in Ukraine at the end of March 2022 and joined the Ukrainian volunteer battalion 'Carpathian Sich'. In Ukraine, he served in Irpin and Bucha, where he patrolled and carried out "cleansing" operations in the de-occupied territories. However, during his assignments and in his free time, he appropriated the belongings of civilians and fallen soldiers. He stole wedding rings, gold and silver bars, cash and other valuables. In April 2022, Siman was detained by the Ukrainian military and then sent back to the Czech Republic.

In addition, Siman was charged with illegal service in a foreign army, as he joined the Ukrainian unit without the consent of the Czech president. However, the court acquitted him of this charge.

Source: Defence 24