oh, we shed light on the opaque world who's behind benefits. and why are they a threat to whistle? oh, peak wolf, this week on d w. ah, ah, ah, this is you w. news ly, from berlin sham trial. the west criticizes a pro russia court for sentencing. 3 foreign fighters to death. russia back authority say there mercenaries not prisoners of war. we'll hear from a friend of one of the fighters, also coming up democracy, endanger the panel,

investigating the attack on the u. s. capital goes public with its friday. january 6 was the culmination of an attempted crew lawmaker show previously unseen video of the violence, and lay the blame squarely on former president, donald trump, and st. arts against the museum treatments new york place host to one of the biggest banks the exhibits ever with more than 100 pieces from the elusive artist gathered under one roof. ah. hello everyone, i'm layla iraq, welcome. the united nation says the trial or 3 foreign fighters in ukraine by a pro russian court could amount to a war crime. a court in the self declared de nest people's republic sentence. the 3

men, 2 brits and one moroccan to death and alleges they were mercenaries, and therefore not prisoners of war. ester nations have denounced the trial calling it a sham and a breach of the rules of war. and earlier we spoke to a friend of the moroccan national, but i have so dune, and we asked him how he learned about what happened to bring. take a listen. well, 1st of all, on april 17th, i figure it out that he's captured by seeing the video of paying, being interviewed. well, it's surrender and ready to go. there were news about like, you know, those british nationals being like they're at risk of being sentenced to death. so then i started doing research and i've found out that my friend bry, him is also good them. and also he's that, that risk. so 1st of all, i started to, you know, like have, i was, and i was so sad,

then i decided that i got, i got to act, i gotta, you know, make actions and help my friends get out of there. so i started the say brought him come pain, and yeah, pretty much what i'm doing right now. he's not a mercenary. i have all the copies of his documents, all those contract signing with the arm. it's for the ukraine. so he's not a mercury. he is. you know, like the, the folder of the ukraine and army, and i have all the documents verifying but, and confirming that he signed that contract in november of 2021. all right, so i want to reach out now to rachel denver. she is the deputy director of the year of division of human rights watch. thank you so much for joining us and agreeing to take our questions. these men sentence to death after just 3 days of trial. the court claims they're not protected by international conventions on prisoners of war

. what do you make of that claim? that is a completely false and defiantly, legally nihilistic claim. these men absolutely are protected by the geneva convention. the due to convention say that the pete, the people who are detained in come a have to be presumed to be peer w's until proven otherwise. so even if the, this person authority, the russian proxies, even if they claim that these men are mercenaries, they would have to prove it in what's called a status determination hearing. and that would have to be like a fair and impartial proceeding where they would put out the facts that show that these men were in fact guns for hire, instead of foreign fighters who were legally recruited and integrated into the into the cranium military. the geneva conventions absolutely permits,

warring parties to recruit and hire and to deploy foreign fighters as long as they integrate into the military. so, you know, are subject to commend you know, a chain of command and you know, where uniforms in obey international humanitarian law. so there was need this kangaroo court didn't bother to hold the status of termination, hearing a held a completely unfair, rushed sham hearing. and i think it's important to say that any, even, even if they were mercenary, they're still entitled to justice. the community conventions make it very clear that anybody detained by a war and party is entitled to a fair hearing. and failure to provide a fair hearing is a, is a war crime. so this is completely outrageous. it seems, in fact that seems that there are a number of facts that point to the fact that these men are, in fact a members of the ukrainian military. and this hearing was a total sham and

a nihilistic violation the geneva convention. now of course, the a so called the net sca people's that republic which staged this trial said is not internationally of course to recognize. so what can these 3 men now do? they're in a very, very precarious situation. do they have any other legal recourse or can authorities help them? well, i think that the, the important recourse is what you're doing right now to expose the utterly unlawful nature of this hearing. to make clear that this, that the see this hearing if it goes for, if it continues, if you know they're not treated as, as pir w's are not given the full right the deserve to free and you know, to a fair and impartial hearing. this is a, this is a war crime. and the li, the international criminal court can, you know, can, and should be seized of this kind of matter. i think that there are, you know,

this is a, of a russian proxy court. it's a, you know, their, their legal, their legal recourse within the so called enough people's republic is, is quite limited. but i think that we need that, that the international community to do everything possible to keep attention focused on their case. now we understand that russian investigators have announced they've opened more than 1100 cases or up against ukrainian prisoners of war. do you expect to see more show show trials rather, to happen in the days to come well, you know, i, there is not a, i don't put a lot of, obviously i help with a lot of faith in, in the capacity in the mood the political will of russian authorities to hold a fairy impartial hearings in, in,

in the russian federation. but, but i think was really important is the push for the due process. right. every single person who is being held on on, on the legit war crimes charges. i think what's important to what's important to distinguish here is the, what the deal with the people's republic has done with these 3 men has been to charge them with being with simply for being involved in combat. and that's another huge violation of the geneva conventions. if you are a combatant and you're held as a p o w, and your and your, your captured and appear w, you can't be, you can't be put on trial for engaging in combat. and i think one of the things we'll really need to watch for in these trials is that, that might, that will, at some point, will start to take place in, in the russian federation. is that they, you know, that there's going to be

a conflation of, you know, legitimate combat activity with, you know, with, with war crimes, rachel dunbar with human rights watch. we really appreciate your time and taking our questions. very important perspective that you share with us there. thank you. thank you. well, the sentence imposed on the 3 men raises concerns about other about what could happen to other foreign fighters who are captured as many as 20000 or believe to have joined ukraine's foreign legion. many of those who, when listed came from neighboring bella roost heated corresponding mathias billing or has more there are no bullets to day, but soon these men will be fighting for the future against the russian army in this south. and they are serving in the ukrainian army, but they're all from bellows. susan, living with the legs,

he joined up 8 years ago after them. i don protests when the conflict in the east start ukraine is on the last 3 countries of the former soviet union. in ukraine had lost its freedom during the my done protest if they had been repressed and there'll be no future for the whole region. and of course, it will not be crane and not for that reason. the little there are now several $100.00 you fight is in ukraine enough to form a regiment. and you fled their homes in 2020. when fellows dictator, alexander lucas shanker, correct down on huge demonstrations against him. this man who didn't want to be identified by name took part in the protest. no, we don't usually not force them with the motion. we were hoping to overthrow

peaceful me. i don't. can you probably didn't baton dash to question the regime held on we so my now is to do everything possible to destroy lucretia and co 3. she's in my room question mark tre, moves news to me. the idea is that the bell or russian regime is so closely tied to russia that a defeat for putin would also be a defeat focus shanker fighters. the war in ukraine is also about the future of their country. and they can't go home until things change. i mean, to try to talk with them at the least a lifelong imprisonment would await me. there are the worst horse execution law. i thought they could pin extremism on me for taking part in the protests in 2020 of,

and on top of that now that charged me as a mercenary for taking part in the war. your wife was little alexi was injured during the 2nd week of the war, wasn't eric mason's mission and butcher. you might want to show lou away his leg. for now he trains new recruits waiting for a better prosthetic leg that will enable him to serve closely to the front again whistling a bullet. i never thought that i made my sacrifices and that would be it. people make sacrifices every day at the front. that's life, that's wor, those doesn't go away. mm hm. it may be a long way to go, but he says retiring from active duty is not an option. that report by mathias cert, willinger and e to ukrainian president former zalinski says as many as 200 ukrainian soldiers are being killed every day. russians forces are bombarding

ukrainian military positions and civilian areas with artillery rocket fire and airstrikes. but the russia advances, proving slow and costly moscow's focus remains the eastern dom bass region which has been partially occupied by separatists since 2014 and d w. a reporter joel dal roy has been looking at russia's military goals and how the army map is being redrawn. russia's attack on ukraine has now lasted 3 and a half months. and during that time, the front line has shifted dramatically. russia is initial attack focused on the capital cave and the 2nd biggest city khaki. but the ukranian military surprised the world with their resistance pushing the under prepared russians back now they moved most of the units to the east and focused on taking full control of the don

bus region. the port city of matthew po became an important flashpoint ukrainian troops held out there longer than anyone expected and a terrible conditions, but they finally surrendered in may. well, after months of strong ukrainian resistance, west and military analysts say that russia is now re gaining traction rushes, defense minister this week, claim success in being able to open a rail connection between the occupied crimea, peninsula and russia. much of the ration recent fighting is focused on the city of sierra dot net, which is a major chemical production industry. and it's a gateway to the rest of the don bus. west. the middle military analysts say that russia is in circling ukrainian troops and what's being called a cauldron. even ukrainians own military commanders say that they are out numbered about $5.00 to $1.00 in this area. and fighting is going on block by block. some analysts say that ukraine appears to have given up attempts to hold the city,

and instead trying to inflate what damage they can on the surrounding forces. while the situation there is looking increasingly dire, the mass says the city has been reduced to a bombed out wasteland. with around 10000 civilians still trapped un unable to evacuate. residents are also reported the sheltering in a chemical plant in an area echo of what happened in mary pole. the past week of russian resurgence is shown that neither side can comfortably claim to have the upper hand and its seeming victories can quickly turn to disappointing setbacks. thank you so much job for that. we turn our focus now to the united states. the committee investigating the attack on the u. s. capital has accused for were present. donald trump, of trying to derail democracy. members have presented their findings after a year of collecting evidence, the chairman says the riot last january was not merely a protest that got out of hand. rather it was an orchestrated attempt to stop the

peaceful transition of power and overturned joe bynes. election. victory ah, the u. s. capital descending into chaos and violence. these images are part of a mess of evidence presented by a house select committee investigating former president donald trump's role in the january 6th riots hall to georgia officials urging them to quote, january 6 was the culmination of an attempted cou. a brazen attempt as one right to put it shortly after january 6 to overthrow the government. the violence was no accident. it represent senate prompts less than most desperate chance to haul the transfer pow to try to prove that trump incited to violent insurrection. miss of a committee compiled testimony from those who stormed the seat of government in

a video presentation. why? what really made me want to come was the fact that, you know, i had supported trump all that time. i did believe you know that the election was being stolen. and trump asked us to come, he personally asked for us to come to the see that and i thought for everything he's known for us. if it's the only thing he'd go ask me, i'll do it. we're going to walk down to the capital. you could share the committee also heard from a police officer task to with defending the capital that day. i couldn't believe my eyes. there were officers on the ground. ah. you know, they were bleeding. they were throwing up. they were, you know, they had, i mean i saw friends with blood all over their faces. i was slipping in people's

blood. 6 more hearings are scheduled. but with so many republicans behind trump, it might not be enough to alta perceptions of what happened on that january 6th and covering the january 6th hearing this is due to abuse. sue me, some has gone a, she joins us now from washington, d. c. so me, great to see you, the committee clearly condemning the former president, donald trump. absolutely, and i think it's important to note that the novelty of the searing itself lay lovers here saying they've never really seen anything like it. this was on prime time tv. it wasn't like the usual dry congressional hearing. this was really a carefully calibrated a vent to tell a story. and that in itself has been an important takeaway. and there was some new information that also came out of this layla. you know that 11 minute video clips that was featured in the report, you just saw there that splice together police body cam footage we hadn't seen before. some of the audio of the protesters and officers also some video from the

capital that we hadn't seen before. and taken together, this was really chilling evidence. we also heard that members of president trump inner circle were aware that he had lost the election. that includes his attorney general bill bar and his daughter, yvonne could trump. and we also heard that multiple republican congressman asked president trump to pardon them for their rolling, trying to overturn the election results. so as you said, very clear terms, what the committee is trying to do here. what they were setting out in this opening hearing is to show that this was an insurrection fired on by former president trump, who was trying to subvert democracy. do, do we know if enough americans care about these hearings? are they following these hearings? well, i mean, i think there were concerns that now it's been 2 years since the, the storm on the capital people wouldn't be interested in these hearings because the countries essentially moved on. and the committee, i think, made a pointed to make the story as compelling as possible with this story telling

aspect of this video. and the video is indeed shocking. so people who are paying attention to the hearings, democratic voters, they are likely to be reached by what ways of what they saw. and they will likely continue to watch these hearings as they move forward. but if you look at the fact that fox news, which conservative many conservative voters in republicans here consume, they countered the coverage by barely showing any of it on their networks. and they put it on the fox business channel. and they call this a show trial. so they didn't even really show many of the, the much of the video clip at all. many americans who watch that channel are not getting the same hearing coverage. so it's hard to say whether american a whole is really going to care about these hearings moving forward when you have such a politicize divide in how media is consumed. and so we will these hearings lead to any legal prosecution, accountability that's going to be interesting aspect here. i think the committee is certainly the democrats, they know that a lot of republicans are not likely to be swayed by these hearings. but by laying

out this insurrection, step by step, linking it through messages in evidence to the former president, they are making it clear that there has to be some sort of accountability and layla that has to go to the department of justice. that is the only agency that can prosecute people with crimes who've been linked to this insurrection. and the agency until now has come under fire for not moving fast enough, not pressing charges of their own, but the department of justice has requested transcripts from the committee hearing . so that could be a sign that they're looking to build on some of this evidence. but a lot is still to come layla, so we'll have to wait and see if there will be accountability, right? you'll be across it and we will be checking in with you some, some kind of reporting from washington. thank you so much. so me germantown sola schultz has begun a 2 day tour of the balkans with a visit to kosovo chancellor shawl smith, ca suppose prime minister i'll been corte, in the capital, pushed on the agenda, normalizing relations between kosovo and serbia. serbia has refused to recognize

constable since it gained independence back in 2008. both countries are trying to join the european union. mister schultz ames to bolster regional stability. he will also visit serbia, greece, north, macedonia, and ball guerria. i am now joined by journalists to eat ro as a fairy in belgrade. good to have you with us, sir. as we just reported, serbia has never recognized a cost of o's. independence doesn't see it as an independent state. what, what can the german chancellor play in normalizing relations between bell grade and christian? well, germany has huge in the balkans and specially serbia having in mind that it's one of the biggest supporters, the economy and biggest for investments come from germany in this country. and one of the topics will be, of course,

of the normalization number of dialogue. the theme cost will answer be i was just asked them if they did buy new in brussels. but also one of the focuses on this is also the sanctions against russia. and the 3rd, one of the countries that is seen russia didn't follow the u. sanction that were impulse by manufacturers and basis. one of the reasons why gentler, being right now, he's in the meeting, this event alex number will be and i believe that they will talk about this topic, that germany fries all the time. so doing the bulk bedlam process. so once the ball comes, then good. ready neighboring relation. now, that's a very important crucial point that you're reporting on right now because the states

both serbia and cost of aspire to join the european union. but somehow it's not providing the european union any leverage in terms of normalizing relations. and as you say, serbia not to joining in sanctions against russia. how do people in serbia feel about that? you well, it's 1st time since a became a candidate candidate member of the people are not supporting the process and it's 1st time that it's under 50 percent of people want to join you as they don't see a future their. ready think it's not moving rapidly enough and of course also the war in new britain showed that people are divided here because we had relative support thing by the newport news war. ready and aggression in your brain, but also people say no to war in your brain, them be brought more europe in serbia,

but government mostly a try to have all relations with russia and china and meanwhile, also b. so some people say that this is not the way for the future of serbia, and it's not clear what service really wants interest. ferrier reporting from a bell. great, thank you so much for joining us. banks . he is one of the world's most celebrated and elusive artists. the fact that his identity a secret only adds to the or up his works are usually temporary, appearing on walls in cities around the world to fans. so fans have to move very fast if they want to see them in their original setting, but thanks to an exhibits in new york. visitors can now enjoy dozens of bank sees

all under one roof. girl with balloon probably the best known image and a phantom artist who shows himself on walls and streets around the world. $120.00 original works from private collectors and now being brought together for the 1st time. what was once considered vandalism is now art worth millions. there is no public collection about banks, it's artwork all built education process. i've been down with bash control, which is the company that bank see old score this process authentication. thanks, he subversive, protest, as established art. and yet keeping with the times against war and weapons, consumerism and police violence. it wants to be disruptive. ah, because he wants to take a precise fence, a gaze ought to amy his mind is unfair and unjust. the visitors can also try

their hand, a street artist and leave behind a message of the room. salem makes us think about, like, what we do, and the consumer is in a lot of global issues. he wants to, you know, make change through his artwork. and i respect that and, you know, he and he gets around since the pandemic and ukraine war banks. he has been quiet. many fans are hoping the graffiti gorilla will soon be visible again. and not just in the museum. you're watching every news up next. every news asia will be back with ah, with

eco, india. how can

a country's economy grow in harmony with its people and the environment when there are doers will look at the bigger picture, india, a country that faces many challenges and whose people are striving to create a sustainable future clever projects from europe and india. eco, india, in 60 minutes on w, it's not a question of whether the next crisis will come, but only when and how the media will deal with it. how can we stay focused on what is important? shaping tomorrow. now. exploring opportunities for media professionals in times of crisis. the global media for june 2020 to get your ticket. now look closely.

listen carefully. don't know how with today. ah, feel the magic discover the world around you. subscribe to d w documentary on youtube. this is did up in your stay show coming up today. a bonus dance people caught between the pod, yvonne and the international community. afghans are getting aid but not fast enough . i'm father, gosh, room abroad is contingent on the father bon, improving the treatment of women and minorities.