The Hijack: Europe, Belarus, and the Abduction of Roman Protasevich

Chronicle from Belarus

On 23 May, a Belarusian fighter plane intercepted Ryanair 4978 and forced the European commercial airliner to land in Minsk. The reporter Roman Protasevich (26), known for his coverage of pro-democracy protests, was then abducted by Belarusian authorities, along with the student Sofia Sapega (23). How can reporters be protected against the use of military force by dictators? And how should the EU react to the state hijacking of an aircraft bound from one EU capital to another? Given Russia’s dominant role in Belarus, might it bear responsibility?

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Slawomir Sierakowski
Original EN Hijacking Western Complacency, Project Syndicate, May 25, 2021.
Timothy Snyder
Original EN Terror vs. the Truth in Belarus, IWM Chronicle from Belarus, May 24, 2021.
Anne Applebaum
Original EN Other Regimes Will Hijack Planes Too, The Atlantic, May 24, 2021.
BBC News
Original EN Belarus ´diverts Ryanair flight to arrest journalist´, opposition says, BBC News, May 24, 2021.
Tatiana Oshurkevich, Nastasia Zan'ko
Original RU МВД рассказало, где находится роман протасевич. ОПУБЛИКОВАНО ВИДЕО С НИМ
[The Ministry of Internal Affairs told where Roman Protasevich is located. Published video with him], people.onliner.by, May 24, 2021.
Meduza.io
Original RU «Я горжусь своим сыном. Он — герой» Интервью мамы журналиста Романа Протасевича. Ради его задержания в Минске экстренно посадили самолет Ryanair
EN ‘I’m proud of my son. He’s a hero’ Meduza speaks to the mother of jailed Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich, meduza.io, May 24, 2021.
Timothy Snyder
Original EN Belarus’s Lukashenko “is an extreme example of what happens if you don’t count votes, The Mehdi Hasan Show, Peacock from 01:16:00 min., May 24, 2021.
Tim Lister and Olga Pavlova
Original EN Belarus activist arrested after fighter jet intercepts his Ryanair flight, CNN, May 23, 2021.

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