World reacts to Belarus airplane ‘hijacking’, arrest of journalist
European international locations, the United States and the United Nations have condemned Belarus after authorities there compelled a passenger airplane carrying a needed journalist to divert and land in its capital.
In what was described by some European Union leaders as a “hijacking”, the Ryanair passenger airplane flying from Greece to Lithuania on Sunday was all of a sudden diverted to Minsk and escorted there by a Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jet.
After touchdown, authorities took journalist Roman Protasevich into custody.
Protasevich is accused of “extremism” in Belarus, of organising riots and inciting hatred – costs regarding his involvement in mass anti-government rallies and which may see him jailed. He denies the allegations.
He used the messaging app Telegram to broadcast footage of the protests as Belarus cracked down on media organisations.
Sunday’s incident comes because the EU is ready to debate toughening its present sanctions towards Belarus, imposed over President Alexander Lukashenko’s crackdown on opposition protesters, at a preplanned summit on Monday.
Authorities in Belarus have insisted they acted legally.
“There is little question that the actions of our competent authorities … absolutely met established worldwide guidelines,” overseas ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz mentioned in an announcement on Monday, accusing the West of “politicising” the scenario.
“Unfounded accusations are being made,” he mentioned.
Russia, Belarus’s primary ally, dismissed the West’s livid response as hypocritical.
It claimed the explanation behind the transfer was a false bomb menace that was written within the title of the Palestinian motion Hamas that guidelines the Gaza Strip.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum denied his group had any data or connection.
Here is a roundup of world response:
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European Union
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, mentioned “the outrageous and unlawful behaviour of the regime in Belarus may have penalties”.
“Those liable for the #Ryanair hijacking have to be sanctioned.”
The outrageous and unlawful behaviour of the regime in Belarus may have penalties.
Those liable for the #Ryanair hijacking have to be sanctioned.
Journalist Roman Protasevich have to be launched instantly.
EUCO will focus on tomorrow motion to take.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 23, 2021
Lithuania
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda described Belarus’s actions as “abhorrent” and referred to as for Protasevich’s fast launch.
Prosecutors additionally mentioned that they had opened a felony investigation into the hijacking of a airplane.
🇪🇺 leaders will focus on a state-sponsored terror act in #Minsk tomorrow at #EUCO. My solutions: airspace over 🇧🇾 shall be acknowledged unsafe, 🇧🇾 aircrafts shall not be accepted in 🇪🇺 airports, fast investigation by @icao & critical sanctions towards the regime.
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) May 23, 2021
Unprecedented occasion! A civilian passenger airplane flying to Vilnius was forcibly landed in #Minsk. Belarusian political activist & founding father of @NEXTA_EN was on the airplane. He is arrested. 🇧🇾 regime is behind the abhorrent motion. I demand to free Roman Protasevič urgently!
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) May 23, 2021
International Civil Aviation Organization
The United Nation’s civil aviation company mentioned the compelled touchdown “could possibly be in contravention of the Chicago Convention”, a treaty that protects nations’ airspace sovereignty.
ICAO is strongly involved by the obvious compelled touchdown of a Ryanair flight and its passengers, which could possibly be in contravention of the Chicago Convention. We sit up for extra info being formally confirmed by the international locations and operators involved.
— 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 launch.
“This stunning act perpetrated by the Lukashenka regime endangered the lives of greater than 120 passengers, together with US residents,” he mentioned in an announcement, utilizing an alternate spelling of the Belarusian chief’s title.
He added on Twitter: “We demand a global investigation and are coordinating with our companions on subsequent steps.”
We strongly condemn the Lukashenka regime’s brazen and stunning act to divert a industrial flight and arrest a journalist. We demand a global investigation and are coordinating with our companions on subsequent steps. The United States stands with the folks of Belarus.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 23, 2021
United Kingdom
The UK referred to as for Protasevich to be launched after he was arrested on “the premise of a ruse”, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab mentioned, including London was working with allies on extra sanctions towards Belarus.
“The UK condemns yesterday’s actions by the Belarusian authorities, who arrested journalist Roman Protasevich on the premise of a ruse, having compelled his flight to land in Minsk. Mr (President Alexander) Lukashenko have to be held to account for his outlandish actions,” Raab mentioned in an announcement.
“The UK requires the fast launch of Mr Protasevich and different political prisoners held in Belarus. The UK is working with our allies on a coordinated response, together with additional sanctions. The UK additionally requires the ICAO Council to satisfy urgently to contemplate the regime’s flouting of the worldwide guidelines safeguarding civil aviation.”
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Belarusian opposition chief
Belarusian opposition chief in exile Svetlana Tikhanovskaya mentioned on Monday she feared for the lifetime of journalist Roman Protasevich.
She mentioned Protasevich was a high-profile opponent of Lukashenko.
“We are actually afraid not just for his freedom, however for his life,” she instructed Sky News.
Greece
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the prime minister of Greece, mentioned the compelled touchdown of a “industrial airplane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, stunning act”.
The EU “should deal with the necessity to step up stress on Belarus,” he mentioned, including: “Enough is sufficient.”
The compelled touchdown of a industrial airplane to detain a journalist is an unprecedented, stunning act. We demand all passengers’ fast launch. Tomorrow’s #EUCO should deal with the necessity to step up stress on Belarus. Enough is sufficient.
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) May 23, 2021
Ireland
The authorities in Ireland, the place Ryanair has its headquarters, described the incident as “completely unacceptable”.
Micheal Martin, the Irish prime minister, referred to as on the EU to handle “these unprecedented actions” at Monday’s assembly.
The compelled touchdown of a passenger airplane in Belarus at present to detain a journalist is totally unacceptable.
These unprecedented actions have induced widespread concern throughout the EU – they usually have to 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 referred to as for sanctions towards Lukashenko’s authorities.
I condemn within the strongest phrases the detention of Roman Protasevich by Belarussian authorities, after a Ryanair passenger plane was hijacked. This is a reprehensible act of state terrorism.
— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) May 23, 2021
I’ve requested @eucopresident to develop tomorrow’s #EUCO agenda and focus on fast sanctions towards A. Lukashenka regime. Hijacking of a civilian airplane is an unprecedented act of state terrorism. It can’t go unpunished.
— Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) May 23, 2021
France
Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French overseas minister, referred to as for a “agency 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 mentioned he’s additionally carefully monitoring the “forcible touchdown” and detention of “opposition determine Roman Protasevich.”
“This is a critical & harmful incident which requires worldwide investigation. Belarus should guarantee secure return of crew & all passengers,” he wrote on Twitter.
Closely monitoring forcible touchdown in #Belarus of flight to Vilnius & reported detention of opposition determine Roman Protasevich. This is a critical & harmful incident which requires worldwide investigation. Belarus should guarantee secure return of crew & all passengers.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) May 23, 2021
Russia
Russia, Belarus’s primary ally, accused the West of hypocrisy in its outraged response.
“It is stunning that the West calls the incident in Belarusian airspace ‘stunning’,” overseas ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Facebook.
“Either (they) ought to be shocked by … the compelled (touchdown) in Austria of the Bolivian president’s airplane on the request of the United States … Or (they) shouldn’t be shocked by related behaviour by others.”
Italy
The Italian overseas ministry summoned the Belarusian ambassador to protest the “kidnapping”, calling it an “unacceptable act, which constitutes a really critical violation of worldwide aviation security laws and for which Belarus will likely be referred to as to account”.
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Benedetto Della Vedova instructed the ambassador that Protasevich and his companion ought to be freed instantly.
“Italy will proceed to spare no effort to acquire the fast launch of all political prisoners,” the assertion mentioned.
It added that Italy was in dialogue with its EU companions on introducing measures towards Belarus “proportionate to the gravity of the incident”.
Czech Republic
Czech leaders strongly denounced the Belarusian authorities’s motion.
In an announcement to reporters in Prague, Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek referred to as it “a flagrant violation of worldwide regulation”.
Prime Minister Andrej Babis referred to as the incident “scandalous” and mentioned it confirmed “indicators of state terrorism”.
