EXPLAINED | EU, NATO Condemn Belarus’ Act Of ‘Forcible’ Diversion Of Plane & Detention Of Journalist

Belarus: The United States and several leaders under the European Union have demanded an investigation into the diversion of a Lithuanian-bound flight to Minsk. The head of NATO has joined the leaders of EU contries asking Belarus to explain its act of detaining an opposition activist and journalist Raman Pratasevich.

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Belarus Orders Diversion Of Passenger Plane, Detention Of Journalist

Belarusian authorities on Sunday forced a civilian jetliner Ryanair to make an emergency landing in capital Minsk and arrested a wanted opposition activist on board. 

A 26-year-old dissident journalist identified as Roman Protasevich was detained by police after his Ryanair flight traveling between Athens and Vilnius, Lithuania — the capitals of two NATO nations, was diverted over Belarusian airspace and the Minsk government said Lukashenko ordered his military to scramble a MiG-29 fighter to escort the plane. The MiG-29 fighter jet scrambled to escort the Boeing 737-8AS to Minsk, although the aircraft was at that point much closer to Vilnius. 

According to reports, mere minitues before flight’s exit from Belarusian airspace, its crew received an order from Belarus’s air traffic control to turn around because of possible explosives on board.

However, the opposition in Belarus said that the supposed bomb scare was a pretext for the real reason strongman President Alexander Lukashenko ordered the arrest of Roman Protasevich. 

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‘Act of State Terrorism’: Outrage Against Belarus

The detention of the journalist has been highly condemned by the US and Europe, and several NATO nations. The act has stroked a heated controversy as some European leaders compared it to a hijacking, and accused Belarus of engaging in an act of state terrorism. 

Raising concerns over the arrest of journalist, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in an official statement said, “The United States strongly condemns the forced diversion of a flight between two EU member states and the subsequent removal and arrest of journalist Roman Pratasevich. Initial reports suggesting the involvement of the Belarusian security services and the use of Belarusian military aircraft to escort the plane are deeply concerning and require full investigation.” 

According to AFP reports, the European Union is set to discuss toughening its existing sanctions against Belarus — imposed over the crackdown by the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko on opposition protesters — at a pre-planned summit on Monday. The UE leaders will discuss the consequences of what EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called an “unacceptable” action.

The NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has also opposed the act and said that  alliance was closely monitoring the “forcible landing” of the flight. He said that this is a serious & dangerous incident which requires international investigation. Belarus must ensure safe return of crew & all passengers.