Grigory Yavlinsky’s Facebook page, 23.05.2021

Photo: Roman Protasevich /Photo from social networks

Opposition journalist Roman Protasevich [from Belarus] was kidnapped by special services in Minsk. For this purpose, a passenger plane of the Irish airline Ryanair flying over Belarus was forced to land at the Minsk airport by means of provocation (under the pretext of an allegedly planted bomb in the plane) and with the help of a scrambled military fighter jet.

What happened represents state air terrorism, an insolent international crime. Alexander Lukashenko ordered the hijacking of a foreign civilian plane to kidnap a political opponent. All responsibility for the act of international aviation terrorism rests with Lukashenko and the Belarusian regime. There is no doubt that there will be international consequences.

This flagrant crime is yet another extremely dangerous precedent, indicating that any criminal and terrorist methods will be used against the political opposition and dissidents without restrictions in Belarus and Russia: kidnapping, poisoning, and murder. Everyone should be ready. There is no limit.

I express my solidarity with Roman Protasevich and demand his immediate release!

Source

Grigory Yavlinsky

is Chairman of the Federal Political Committee of the Russian United Democratic Party YABLOKO, Vice President of Liberal International, PhD in Economics, Professor of the National Research University Higher School of Economics.