Article author:
Reuters
Last year, a student captured in Belarus when Western nations evacuated a civilian passenger plane, which he called a national copyright infringement, released a prison letter confessing the illegal activity and appealing for amnesty.
Lithuanian Russian citizen Sophia Sapega, 24, was a dissident journalist in exile Belarus, her boyfriend at the time, when Ryanair was forced to fly from Athens to Vilnius in May. , Was arrested with Ramanplata Sevic. last year.
The incident has been criticized by countries around the world, with the exception of Russia, the main ally of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Since then, European countries have banned passenger planes over Belarus.
Belarus later convicted Sapega of "inciting social hatred" and sentenced him to six years in prison.
Protasevich, a former editor of a prominent opposition press, abandoned his political activities, was released from prison under house arrest, and married someone else. Opponents of Belarus believe his withdrawal was forced.
In a letter published by the Russian news site RBC, her lawyer confirmed her authenticity, Lukashenko understood the "illegal" of her actions. He stated and demanded that Lukashenko commute to work.
"Today I understand that I was unfair and looked at things from only one side," Sapega wrote. "In Lithuania, I didn't agree with them before I was arrested, so I would like to note that I wanted to stop the illegal activity."
Lukashenko, the opposition was stolen He has been banished to the West since the 2020 elections he said. With the support of Russia's finances and security, he has squeezed the protests violently, and all major opponents are currently in prison or in exile.
Belarusian troops have not participated in the war openly, but in recent months he has used it as a stage for Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine and as a launch site for Russian missile attacks. Allowed to be done.
(Report by Reuters, edited by Kevin Liffey and Peter Graff)
