The Biden administration says it’s “outraged” over Belarus’ decision to divert a plane to arrest a journalist.
Roman Protasevich, a 26-year-old journalist from Belarus and outspoken critic of President Alexander Lukashenko, was on a Ryanair flight on Sunday from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, Lithuania, when while over Belarusian airspace, Lukashenko ordered a fighter jet to escort it to land in the capital, Minsk.
Protasevich was arrested upon landing and faces charges that carry a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
“This was shocking act—subverting a flight between two EU member states for the apparent purpose of arresting a journalist,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Monday. “It constitutes a brazen affront to international peace and security by the regime. We demand an immediate international, transparent, and credible investigation into this incident,” she said.
