SZ podcast “To the point”:Belarus: How a blogger became an enemy of the state
Belarus’ President Lukashenko has lost all inhibitions. The hijacking of a passenger plane is his signal to the opposition that it is nowhere safe.
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By Silke Bigalke and Lars Langenau
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary calls it a “case of state-supported piracy”: The authorities of the authoritarian-ruled Belarus forced an aircraft of his airline to land in Minsk on Sunday. On board was the blogger Roman Protassewitsch, who was wanted by Belarus. President Alexander Lukashenko has apparently lost all inhibitions. The EU is now freezing accounts, blocking the airspace for airlines from Belarus and EU airlines no longer landing in Belarus.
“It’s not normal for a dictator to take a plane down from the sky,” says SZ Russia correspondent Silke Bigalke. But opposition members have been persecuted and imprisoned in Belarus for years. Protassevich, who is only 26 years old, does not decide for himself whether he works for the opposition or as a journalist. From Poland he managed the Telegram channel Nexta. The Telegram channel has become one of the most widely read in Belarus – and practically co-organizer of the demonstrations against Lukashenko in summer 2020. The latest action is a signal to all opposition members that they cannot feel safe anywhere. Without Moscow’s support, he could hardly have made such a decision.
Further news: Vonovia and Deutsche Wohnen want to merge, Hansi Flick will coach the national soccer team.
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Forced landing: what consequences should Belarus face?:To the reader discussion
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