Journalist’s Arrest Raises Free Speech Issue in Belarus

The small Eastern European country of Belarus is right in the middle of an international free speech controversy.

While U.S. citizens can rely on the First Amendment to protect their rights to free speech and a free press, many countries around the world do not honor these rights. Belarus became a global example of press persecution after it diverted a European airplane to capture a passenger – a journalist who spoke out in opposition to the president.

Background on Belarus

The area that is now Belarus has been ruled by various groups over the centuries, including the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire. The region was devastated during World War II, and when the conflict ended it was taken over as part of the communist Soviet Union. It wasn’t until the Soviet Union collapsed that Belarus became a sovereign nation, declaring independence on August 25, 1991.

In 1994, Alexander Lukashenko was declared the country’s first president, a position he still holds today. Belarus is a presidential republic, but human rights organizations say it has an authoritarian government and little freedom for its people.

Free Speech Controversy

On May 23, 2021, Ryanair flight 4978 was flying over Belarusian airspace, traveling from Greece to Lithuania. Air traffic control in Belarus’ capital city, Minsk, contacted the pilot, saying “You have bomb on board. We recommend you to land.” A Belarusian MiG fighter jet intercepted the plane.

The Ryanair craft landed in Minsk, only to find that there was no bomb. Belarusian authorities arrested two of the passengers, Roman Protasevich and his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega. Protasevich is a Belarusian journalist and activist on social media who has criticized President Lukashenko. He has been involved in protests and pro-democracy groups over the last ten years. He moved to Poland in 2019, where he asked for political asylum in 2020.

Protasevich and Sapega were taken away by police, while the plane and most of the passengers continued to their original destination. A day later, Protasevich appeared in a video saying he would confess to organizing anti-government protests, but he appeared to have some head injuries. He could serve up to 15 years in jail for organizing mass protests.

International Response

The incident caused outraged responses in Europe and the United States. Ryanair’s CEO called the incident “state-sponsored hijacking.” Public protests have also been held across Europe and other Western nations like the U.S. and Australia.

The European Union soon told airlines to avoid entering Belarus’ airspace, and several companies are now refusing to operate in the country. The Union also disallowed Belarus’ airlines from flying in the airspace of its 27 member countries.

The United States joined the European Union in condemning Protasevich’s arrest. The State Department also imposed a Do Not Travel warning, telling U.S. citizens not to travel to Belarus.

Meanwhile, Belarus’ ally, Russia, has defended the nation. Russia pushed back against European airlines by refusing to let them land in Moscow, and Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Western nations of similar activity. He pointed out that a Bolivian airline was forced to land in Austria in 2013, so the plane could be searched for American whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The controversy is a powerful reminder of how precious Americans’ First Amendment rights are. The rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition the government are fundamental to the U.S. Constitution, even if they are not respected by all. Without these, Americans could find themselves in Protasevich’s shoes.