The Belarus-Roman Protasevich Saga: A Complex Geopolitical Tale

Roman Protasevich is a Belarusian blogger, journalist, and political activist. He was arrested in 2021 after his flight from Greece to Lithuania was diverted to Minsk, where he was detained by the Belarusian authorities. Protasevich was the editor-in-chief of the Telegram channel Nexta, which played a crucial role in broadcasting footage and coordinating protests against the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in 2020. Protasevich was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges including inciting terrorism, organising mass riots, and insulting President Lukashenko. However, he was later pardoned and released from custody in May 2023.

Who is Roman Protasevich?

Roman Protasevich is a Belarusian blogger, journalist, and political activist. He was born on 5 May 1995 in Minsk, Belarus, and moved to Poland in 2019, where he sought political asylum in 2020. Protasevich has been an anti-government activist and has participated in protests since the early 2010s, leading to several arrests. He was a member of the Young Front opposition organisation and co-administered a major opposition group on the social network VKontakte. He has also been involved with other opposition groups and media outlets, including serving as editor-in-chief of the Telegram channel Nexta, which played a crucial role in covering and coordinating protests against the Belarusian government in 2020.

Arrest and Detention:

On 23 May 2021, Protasevich was arrested by Belarusian authorities after his Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius was diverted to Minsk due to a false bomb threat. This diversion was ordered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Protasevich, who was editor of the opposition Telegram channel Nexta, was targeted for his prominent role in covering and organising protests against Lukashenko. He was detained along with his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, a Russian citizen.

Forced Confessions:

During his detention, Protasevich was forced to make confessions on Belarusian state television. In these appearances, he praised President Lukashenko and admitted to attempting to topple the government. Human rights organisations and opposition leaders, including Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, claimed that Protasevich was coerced and that the confessions were made under duress. There was visible evidence of marks on his wrists, indicating possible torture or abuse.

Trial and Pardon:

Roman Protasevich was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges including plotting a coup, inciting terrorism, organising mass disturbances, and slandering President Lukashenko. However, on 22 May 2023, it was announced that he had been pardoned and released from custody. Protasevich expressed gratitude to President Lukashenko for the pardon, stating that he would take time to "take a breather and start to move forward." After his release, reports suggested that Protasevich testified against his former girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, which may have contributed to his early pardon.

Controversy and Impact:

The arrest of Roman Protasevich sparked international outrage and triggered European sanctions against Lukashenko. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) condemned the forced landing of the Ryanair flight and Protasevich's arrest, calling the bomb threat "deliberately false." Protasevich's case highlighted the Belarusian government's suppression of dissent and media freedom, with President Lukashenko being referred to as "Europe's last dictator." However, following his pardon, some opposition figures, such as Andrei Sannikov, have criticised Protasevich as a "traitor" to the democratic movement.

Protasevich's arrest

On 23 May 2021, Roman Protasevich, a 26-year-old Belarusian blogger and political activist, was arrested by Belarusian authorities after his flight from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania, was diverted to Minsk. Protasevich, who was editor-in-chief of the Telegram channel Nexta, was travelling with his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, a Russian citizen.

The diversion of the Ryanair flight was ordered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, citing a false bomb threat passed on by Belarusian air traffic control. Upon landing in Minsk, Protasevich and Sapega were arrested at passport control by Belarusian police. No bomb was found on the plane.

Protasevich, an outspoken critic of President Lukashenko, had been living in exile in Lithuania since 2019. He had previously been charged with terrorism and inciting riots in Belarus and was put on a list of "individuals involved in terrorist activity" by the Belarusian government.

Following his arrest, Protasevich was held in a Belarusian detention centre and faced potential extremism charges, including organising mass riots and inciting social hatred, related to the protests against President Lukashenko in 2020. He denied the allegations but could have faced up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

In the days following his arrest, Protasevich appeared in several videos released by Belarusian state media, in which he claimed to be in good health and confessed to organising mass unrest in Minsk. However, his appearance in these videos was criticised by activists and opposition leaders, who believed he was speaking under duress and feared that he was being tortured.

On 25 June 2021, Protasevich and Sapega were released from jail and placed under house arrest. They were transferred to separate rented flats, with restricted movements and communications.

On 3 May 2023, Protasevich was sentenced to eight years in prison. However, on 22 May, he was pardoned and released from custody. He expressed gratitude to the Belarusian president for the decision and later testified against his former girlfriend, Sapega, which may have been a factor in his pardon.

Protasevich's sentencing

Roman Protasevich, a Belarusian blogger and political activist, was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Minsk District Court on 3 May 2023. He was found guilty of a range of charges, including plotting a coup, organising mass riots, public calls for acts of terrorism, leading an extremist group, and defaming President Alexander Lukashenko.

Protasevich, who was born in Minsk, Belarus, in 1995, had been an anti-government activist and a member of the Young Front opposition organisation since the early 2010s. He was the editor of the Telegram channel Nexta, which played a key role in rallying protests against Lukashenko following the disputed 2020 election.

On 23 May 2021, Protasevich and his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, were arrested by Belarusian authorities after their Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was diverted to Minsk due to a false bomb threat. This incident sparked international outrage and led to sanctions against the Belarusian government.

During his detention, Protasevich appeared on Belarusian state television multiple times, making confessions and praising Lukashenko. His associates claimed that these appearances were made under duress, and human rights organisations named him a political prisoner.

After a trial that began in February 2023, Protasevich was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony. Two of his former colleagues, Stepan Putilo and Yan Rudik, were also sentenced in absentia to 20 and 19 years, respectively.

However, on 22 May 2023, it was announced that Protasevich had been pardoned and released from custody. He expressed gratitude to the country and the president for the decision. Reports later emerged that Protasevich had testified against Sapega, who was sentenced to six years in prison, in exchange for a reduced sentence or a pardon.

Protasevich's pardon

Roman Protasevich, a Belarusian opposition activist, was arrested in 2021 after his flight was grounded in Minsk. Protasevich was hauled off a Ryanair flight and detained on charges of inciting unrest. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for offences including inciting "terrorism", organising mass disturbances, and slandering Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

On 22 May 2023, it was reported that Protasevich had been pardoned by Minsk. This was confirmed the following day, and he was released from custody. In a video released by the state news agency Belta, Protasevich expressed his gratitude to the country and President Lukashenko for the pardon, stating:

> I am incredibly grateful to the country and, of course, to the president personally for such a decision. This is, of course, just great news.

Protasevich's arrest and subsequent pardon sparked international attention and raised questions about the treatment of journalists and activists in Belarus. Some opponents of the regime have accused Protasevich of collaborating with the authorities, while others view him as a traitor to the democratic movement.

The conditions of Protasevich's pardon include mandatory reports to a supervisor, regular updates on his residence, and a prohibition from leaving Belarus. While he has expressed a desire to move on from politics, the impact of his case on the country's political landscape remains to be seen.

International reactions to Protasevich's arrest

The arrest of Roman Protasevich, a Belarusian opposition journalist and blogger, sparked international outrage and widespread criticism. The forced diversion and landing of a commercial aircraft—Ryanair Flight 4978—and the subsequent arrest of Protasevich was condemned by the Media Freedom Coalition, comprising 26 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and several European nations. They demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Protasevich and other journalists detained in Belarus, emphasising the importance of media freedom and its role in protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The European Union (EU) also responded to Protasevich's arrest by agreeing to a new set of sanctions against Belarus. These sanctions included a ban on the use of EU airspace and airports, reflecting the bloc's condemnation of the "hijacking" of the Ryanair plane. EU members further called for an urgent investigation by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The arrest triggered European sanctions against Lukashenko and consolidated external opposition to his regime. The incident highlighted Lukashenko's pursuit of dissidents and his attempt to silence independent voices in Belarus. The UK's Telegraph opined that the arrest could prove to be an "extraordinary own goal" for Lukashenko, potentially forcing the West into action and isolating Belarus as a rogue regime.

Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya warned that Protasevich's life was in danger and that he was likely being tortured by the Belarusian authorities. She urged her supporters to be ready for any opportunity to turn Belarus into a democracy and prevent Russian interference.

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