President Biden on Monday called for an investigation into Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko forcing a Ryanair plane to land in Minsk so authorities could arrest a dissident journalist onboard, saying the incident was "outrageous" and a "direct affront to international norms."
The plane was on its way from Greece to Lithuania when a fighter jet was summoned to escort it to the Minsk airport. Once the plane landed, the journalist, 26-year-old Roman Protasevich, was detained. He is the co-founder of an opposition news outlet that reported on last year's demonstrations against Lukashenko amid the country's contested presidential election. Protasevich went into exile in Lithuania a few years ago, and Belarusian authorities accused him of inciting hatred and mass disorder; if convicted, he faces 12 years in prison.
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