A former British Royal Marine has launched an appeal against a jail sentence handed down to him, for murdering an injured Taliban fighter in 2011.
Sgt Alexander Blackman, was found guilty of murder in November 2013, and given a minimum sentence of 10 years alongside a dishonourable discharge from the marines. Blackman, who had served 15 years in the marines, was the first British soldier to face a murder charge relating to the conflict in Afghanistan, since it began in 2001.
Both the verdict and minimum sentence are to be challenged. See more from the Guardian here.
The murder was filmed by Blackman's helmet camera, where he is heard to tell his colleagues,
“Obviously this doesn’t go anywhere fellas. I just broke the Geneva Convention.”
During sentencing Judge Advocate General Jeff Blackett had said,
“It is also very important this court sends out a very strong message that while this sort of offence is extremely rare, if not unique, those service personnel who commit crimes of murder, or other war crimes or crimes against humanity while on operations will be dealt with severely."
“This is a message of deterrence, but it is also to reassure the international community that allegations of serious crime will be dealt with transparently and appropriately. In our view this message is delivered by sentencing you to imprisonment for life.”
See our earlier posts:
Demands for severe penalty for Royal Marine convicted of murder (09 November 2013)
Royal Marine found guilty of murder of Afghan fighter (08 November 2013)
Murder trial of UK Royal Marines begins (24 October 2013)