The United States condemns the forced diversion of the Ryanair aircraft to Belarus

US diplomacy “strongly condemned” coercion diversion of a Ryanair passenger aircraft to Belarus yesterday Sunday and the arrest of a dissident journalist who was riding in it, demanding that the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) be convened as soon as possible to discuss the incident.

The USA “Strongly condemn the forced diversion of a flight between two EU Member States” and the “arrest of journalist Roman Protasevic in Minsk. We demand his immediate release. “

In the press release published by State DepartmentUS Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has demanded the immediate release of Mr Protashevich, saying “the shocking act of the Lukashenko regime has endangered the lives of more than 120 passengers, including US citizens.”

“The first information that indicates that Belarusian security services are involved and that Belarusian military aircraft were used to escort the aircraft is deeply worrying and needs to be investigated in depth,” said Mr Blinken.

The head of the American diplomacy reminded that Washington supports the “Belarusian people” and the “His desire for a future of freedom, democracy and prosperity” and demands that “regime” of President Alexander Lukashenko “respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Mr. Blinken underlined, as AMPE reports, that Washington will seek the “convening of the ICAO Council as soon as possible to examine these events”.

The US Secretary of State noted that “we are closely coordinating our reaction with our partners, including EU and Lithuanian and Greek officials.”

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Belarusian chase stopped yesterday Ryanair Boeing 737 operating the Athens-Vilnius route. The website of the Belarusian opposition Nexta reported that its former director Roman Protasevic, who was on board the plane, was arrested when it landed in Minsk, information that was later confirmed by the Belarusian state television.

Later yesterday, the aircraft finally resumed its flight to Vilnius, where it landed with a long delay.

The Belarusian authorities claimed that the Boeing was diverted due to a “bomb warning”. The Nexta website, for its part, spoke of “quarrels” caused by Belarusian security agents inside the aircraft, claiming that there was a bomb on it.

THE European Union He said he was preparing to impose new sanctions on Minsk. NATO has called for an “international inquiry” into the incident.

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