After state-hijacking a plane leaving Athens to Lithuania to arrest activist blogger Raman Pratasevich, the dissident was visibly made to confess crimes by Belarusian authorities. The Committee to Protect Journalist had this information:
Today, [Raman] Pratasevich appeared in a 29-second video first published by the pro-government Telegram channel Zhyoltiye Slivy. In that video, which CPJ reviewed, Pratasevich can be seen with his hands clasped tightly in front of him and apparent bruises or scuff marks on his forehead; he says that he had no complaints about his detention, was cooperating with authorities, and confessed to “organizing mass riots” in Minsk. CPJ was unable to verify the time or circumstances under which the video was recorded.
Yesterday, Belarusian authorities diverted a commercial Ryanair flight en route from Athens, Greece, to Vilinus, Lithuania, and forced it to land in Minsk, Belarus, where authorities detained Pratasevich, co-founder of NEXTA and chief editor of Belarus of the Brain, two Telegram channels that have covered protests against Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, according to news reports. Authorities also detained Pratasevich’s girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who was traveling with him, according to reports.
“Belarusian authorities must release journalist Raman Pratasevich immediately, ensure he receives any medical treatment he requires, and allow him and his partner to leave the country as soon as possible,” said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said, in New York. “By first diverting a commercial flight and then airing a ‘confession’ video to silence Pratasevich, the Belarusian government has shown that it will cross any red line to harass and detain independent voices who dare to challenge President Lukashenko. Authorities should know by now that these tactics will not stop independent reporting in the country.”
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