Belarus activist arrested after fighter jet intercepts his Ryanair flight

(CNN) -- A leading Belarusian opposition activist has been arrested in Belarus after President Alexander Lukashenko ordered a fighter jet to escort his Ryanair plane to Minsk, according to Pull Pervogo, Belarusian state broadcaster.

Raman Pratasevich, in exile and a vocal critic of President Alexander Lukashenko's regime, was detained at Minsk airport, the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs said on Sunday.

The original flight route was Athens, Greece, to Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has demanded Belarus releases Pratasevich. Nauseda called the incident "abhorrent" and an "unprecedented event" in a tweet. He said a "civilian passenger plane flying to Vilnius was forcibly landed in Minsk."

The Belarusian "regime is behind the abhorrent action," he tweeted and demanded Pratasevich is freed "urgently."

Pratasevich is the founder of the Telegram channel Nexta which was broadly used to organize anti- government protests, and another similar channel critical of the government, both of which are classified as extremist in Belarus.

Pratasevich is also on a government wanted list for terrorism. There are differing reports as to why the budget airline Ryanair plane was forced to land.

The Minsk airport told Russian state media RIA Novosti, that the plane made the emergency landing after an unconfirmed bomb threat.

However, a spokesperson for Lithuania airports, told LRT National Radio that it was due to a conflict between a passenger and one of the crew members. Lina Beishene, said the Lithuanian civil aviation authorities have not been informed about a bomb threat.

A leading opposition figure has said the Belarusian regime "forced the landing of the plane in Minsk to arrest journalist and activist Raman Pratasevich."

On Twitter, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Pratasevich faces the death penalty in Belarus. "We demand the immediate release of Raman, an @ICAO (international aviation group) investigation and sanctions against Belarus."

The Foreign Minister of Lithuania said the news of the forced landing was disturbing.

Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted that he is "working with international partners to secure safe passage back to Vilnius for all passengers."

EU leaders are also speaking out in condemnation of Belarus for arresting Pratasevich.

David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, demanded "immediate explanations" and for Pratasevich to be released.

"Closely following reports of forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk and the alleged arrest of activist and journalist (Raman Pratasevich). We need immediate explanations, and he must be released. All 171 passengers and the flight need to be released without delay," he said.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said that "any violation of international air transport rules must bear consequences."

Source: CNN, Tim Lister and Olga Pavlova, May 23, 2021

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