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Avi M., convicted for serving as a sniper with the Ukrainian Armed Forces (Photo: SRF)
A military court in Meilen, Switzerland, has handed an 18-month suspended sentence to 49-year-old Swiss citizen Avi M. for serving as a sniper with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, public broadcaster SRF reported on Dec. 18.
The ruling marks the first conviction under Swiss law banning citizens from enlisting in foreign militaries.
The court found that Avi M. violated the statute after prosecutors presented his 2023 televised interview with SRF, Instagram posts, media reports, and a Europol list of suspected foreign fighters. In the interview, he openly acknowledged fighting in Ukraine “to avoid seeing small children in plastic bags” and said he was aware he could face arrest if he returned to Switzerland.
Prosecutors had called for a six-month prison sentence without probation, citing Avi M.’s prior convictions and warning that only a real term would deter Swiss nationals from joining conflicts abroad. His defense argued that the case rested on media coverage and statements by a defendant “prone to exaggeration.” Avi M. did not appear in court; he remains at large in Israel, where he has lived for several years and holds dual citizenship.
Avi M.’s mother testified that many of his battlefield stories were questionable. Ultimately, the court ruled that his unauthorized service warranted punishment but opted for a suspended term with a four-year probationary period. The verdict is not yet final and may be appealed.
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