Belarusian Activist Raman Pratasevich Pardoned: State Media

The opposition blogger was arrested in 2021 after his Ryanair flight was diverted and forced to land in Minsk. He was sentenced to eight years in prison earlier this month on charges including inciting terrorism.Raman Protasevich, the Belarusian opposition blogger arrested two years ago after his flight overflight was forced to land in Minsk, was pardoned on Monday,

the Belarusian state news agency Belta reported.Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Rape Accused Attacked With Knife on Court Premises in Pratapgarh.

Protasevich had been sentenced to eight years in a penal colony this month for offenses including inciting terrorism, organizing mass disturbances and slandering Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.Also Read | Mumbai Horror: Drunk Man Seeking Dowry Assaults Pregnant Wife, Faces Charges for Causing Miscarriage.

"I have literally just signed all the relevant documents stating that I have been pardoned," Belta cited the blogger as telling reporters. "This is, of course, great news."

Protasevich had worked as a journalist at the news outlet Nexta, which reported extensively on mass protests against Lukashenko in 2020 following a presidential election that the opposition and Western governments denounced as rigged.

The protests, which lasted for months, were the longest and largest demonstration of opposition to Lukashenko since he took power in

1994.

Belarusian authorities responded with a brutal crackdown that saw more than 35,000 people arrested, thousands beaten by police and dozens of media outlets and nongovernmental organizations shut.

After his arrest, Protasevich was believed to have been coerced by authorities into issuing apologetic statements on state television.

When his trial began in February, he said in a video published by Belta that he was "fully guilty."

Some in the exiled Belarusian opposition have accused him of collaborating with authorities.

Little is known about how Protasevich was treated by security services.

Protasevich's arrest shocked world aviation authorities.

A Belarusian fighter jet forced his Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania to land in Minsk.

Nexta, a popular channel on YouTube and Telegram, played an active role in the 2020 protests, which erupted after Lukashenko was accused of rigging an election.

The platform was banned and declared a "terrorist organization."

mm/nm (AFP, Reuters)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2023 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).