A military court in Meylin, Switzerland, for the first time sentenced 49-year-old Swiss citizen Avi M. to 18 months of suspended prison for serving in the Ukrainian army.
This is reported by the Swiss broadcaster SRF.
The court found that Avi M. violated Swiss law, which prohibits Swiss citizens from serving in foreign armies. According to the investigation, the man fought against Russia as a sniper in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
During the announcement of the verdict, the court noted that the defendant himself actually confirmed his service in Ukraine through an interview with the SRF television channel in 2023. Also included as evidence were posts on Instagram, media materials, and a Europol list of alleged foreign mercenaries.
In his public statements, Avi M. did not hide the fact that he was fighting. In 2023, he said that he went to war in order to “not pack small children in plastic bags”, and admitted that he was aware of the risk of arrest in Switzerland.
The prosecution insisted on a six-month prison sentence without parole. The prosecutor pointed to Aviʼs previous convictions and emphasized that the punishment was intended to prevent him from possibly participating in other wars abroad.
Instead, the defense demanded an acquittal, arguing that there was no direct evidence of Avi M.ʼs participation in hostilities or being at the front. The lawyer stated that the accusation was based mainly on media materials, and that the defendant himself was "prone to exaggeration".
The court also heard from the manʼs mother, who said she did not believe most of his stories. Avi M. himself did not appear at the court hearing — it is known that he has been living in Israel for several years and has dual citizenship.
The court ultimately sentenced Avi M. to 18 months of suspended prison sentence with a probationary period of four years. The sentence has not yet entered into force, so it can be appealed in court.
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