European countries, the United States and the United Nations have condemned Belarus after authorities there forced a passenger plane carrying a wanted journalist to divert and land in its capital.
In what was described by some European Union leaders as a “hijacking”, the passenger plane flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday was suddenly diverted to Minsk and escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet.
After landing, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody.
The incident comes as the EU is set to discuss toughening its existing sanctions against Belarus, imposed over President Alexander Lukashenko’s crackdown on opposition protesters, at a preplanned summit on Monday.
Here is a roundup of global reaction:
European Union
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said “the outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences”.
“Those responsible for the #Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned.”
The outrageous and illegal behaviour of the regime in Belarus will have consequences.
Those responsible for the #Ryanair hijacking must be sanctioned.
Journalist Roman Protasevich must be released immediately.
EUCO will discuss tomorrow action to take.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 23, 2021
Lithuania
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda described Belarus’s actions as “abhorrent” and called for Protasevich’s immediate release.
Prosecutors also said they had opened a criminal investigation into the hijacking of a plane.
🇪🇺 leaders will discuss a state-sponsored terror act in #Minsk tomorrow at #EUCO. My suggestions: airspace over 🇧🇾 shall be recognized unsafe, 🇧🇾 aircrafts shall not be accepted in 🇪🇺 airports, immediate investigation by @icao & serious sanctions against the regime.
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) May 23, 2021
Unprecedented event! A civilian passenger plane flying to Vilnius was forcibly landed in #Minsk. Belarusian political activist & founder of @NEXTA_EN was on the plane. He is arrested. 🇧🇾 regime is behind the abhorrent action. I demand to free Roman Protasevič urgently!
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) May 23, 2021
International Civil Aviation Organization
The United Nation’s civil aviation agency said the forced landing “could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention”, a treaty that protects nations’ airspace sovereignty.
ICAO is strongly concerned by the apparent forced landing of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could be in contravention of the Chicago Convention. We look forward to more information being officially confirmed by the countries and operators concerned.
— ICAO (@icao) May 23, 2021
United States
The US “strongly condemned” the arrest of Protasevich, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for the journalist’s release.
“This shocking act perpetrated by the Lukashenka regime endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including US citizens,” he said in a statement, using an alternative spelling of the Belarusian leader’s name.
He added on Twitter: “We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps.”
We strongly condemn the Lukashenka regime's brazen and shocking act to divert a commercial flight and arrest a journalist. We demand an international investigation and are coordinating with our partners on next steps. The United States stands with the people of Belarus.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 23, 2021
Greece
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the prime minister of Greece, said the forced landing of a “commercial plane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, shocking act”.
The EU “must address the need to step up pressure on Belarus,” he said, adding: “Enough is enough.”
The forced landing of a commercial plane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, shocking act. We demand all passengers’ immediate release. Tomorrow’s #EUCO must address the need to step up pressure on Belarus. Enough is enough.
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) May 23, 2021
Ireland
The government in Ireland, where Ryanair has its headquarters, described the incident as “absolutely unacceptable”.
Micheal Martin, the Irish prime minister, called on the EU to address “these unprecedented actions” at Monday’s meeting.
The forced landing of a passenger plane in Belarus today to detain a journalist is absolutely unacceptable.
These unprecedented actions have caused widespread concern across the EU – and they must be addressed at tomorrow’s #EUCO
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) May 23, 2021
Poland
Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki denounced Belarus’s actions as “an act of state terrorism” and called for sanctions against Lukashenko’s government.
I condemn in the strongest terms the detention of Roman Protasevich by Belarussian authorities, after a Ryanair passenger aircraft was hijacked. This is a reprehensible act of state terrorism.
— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) May 23, 2021
I have asked @eucopresident to expand tomorrow's #EUCO agenda and discuss immediate sanctions against A. Lukashenka regime. Hijacking of a civilian plane is an unprecedented act of state terrorism. It cannot go unpunished.
— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) May 23, 2021
France
Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, called for a “firm and united response” from European nations.
Le détournement par les autorités biélorusses d’un vol de @Ryanair est inacceptable. Une réponse ferme et unie des Européens est indispensable. Tous les passagers de ce vol, dont les opposants biélorusses éventuels, doivent être autorisés sans délai à quitter la #Biélorussie.
— Jean-Yves Le Drian (@JY_LeDrian) May 23, 2021
NATO
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he is also closely monitoring the “forcible landing” and detention of “opposition figure Roman Protasevich.”
“This is a serious & dangerous incident which requires international investigation. Belarus must ensure safe return of crew & all passengers,” he wrote on Twitter.
Closely monitoring forcible landing in #Belarus of flight to Vilnius & reported detention of opposition figure Roman Protasevich. This is a serious & dangerous incident which requires international investigation. Belarus must ensure safe return of crew & all passengers.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) May 23, 2021
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiWWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFsamF6ZWVyYS5jb20vbmV3cy8yMDIxLzUvMjQvZXUtdXMtY29uZGVtbi1vdXRyYWdlb3VzLWJlbGFydXMtcGxhbmUtaGlqYWNraW5n0gFdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYWxqYXplZXJhLmNvbS9hbXAvbmV3cy8yMDIxLzUvMjQvZXUtdXMtY29uZGVtbi1vdXRyYWdlb3VzLWJlbGFydXMtcGxhbmUtaGlqYWNraW5n?oc=5
2021-05-24 06:44:58Z
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