Two British volunteers recently died in Ukraine, and were duly hailed for their selfless commitment to defending the nation against Russia. Yet the deaths of Dan Burke and Sam Newey also cast a spotlight on the British government’s quite different attitude to the conflict in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan), with its policy of persecuting internationalists who travel to the region to support its linked battles against both ISIS and Turkey.

Prior to traveling to Ukraine, both men had been caught up in a wave of repression targeting UK nationals with links to the direct-democratic, women-led “Rojava revolution” and in particular Syrian Kurdish Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG). They suffered irrevocable harm and distress through this official persecution — even though the UK is formally allied with the YPG in its fight against ISIS.

Dan Burke spent seven months jailed on remand on terror charges — that is, for fighting against ISIS — before the case was abruptly dropped. Sam Newey, then just 19, was charged despite never even planning to go to Syria. According to those who know them, this ill-treatment played a part in their decision to join Ukraine’s defense.